Japan deploys 'human refrigerators' amid record heatwaves

As Japan grapples with punishing summer heat, companies are turning to innovative solutions like the "Do Hiemon Box," a refrigerator for humans, to protect their workforce. Warehouse worker Isao Tabuchi described the phonebooth-sized machine, which uses jets of chilled air, as a vital recovery tool. "I was really able to recover thanks to that. Once you use it, it's very, very cool," Tabuchi, 51, told AFP.

Tokyo-based distributor Trusco Nakayama has sold over 300 units of the "Do Hiemon Box" since April, priced at approximately $9,400. Customers include construction sites, factories, and warehouses, with potential future expansion to golf courses and baseball stadiums. "It's large, it's expensive, and it's not the kind of product where you can just explain it in words and have customers say, 'Okay, let's buy one.' So there were a lot of uncertainties," said sales agent China Yamamoto.

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I was really able to recover thanks to that. Once you use it, it's very, very cool.

Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme heat events to human-induced climate change. Japan recorded its hottest summer on record in 2025, and the weather office introduced the term "kokushobi" (cruelly hot day) for temperatures reaching 40C (104F). This summer, nearly 63,000 people nationwide required emergency care for heat-related issues, and Tokyo alone saw almost 120 heat-related deaths by mid-August.

Businesses are facing stricter legal requirements to protect employees. This summer, 50 percent of companies reported that intense heat disrupted their operations, while almost 88 percent increased their efforts to help workers cope. Innovations range from jackets with built-in fans to air-conditioned break rooms. In a notable cultural shift, Tokyo bureaucrats are now permitted to wear shorts to work, a significant departure from the country's traditionally formal business attire.

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It's large, it's expensive, and it's not the kind of product where you can just explain it in words and have customers say, 'Okay, let's buy one.' So there were a lot of uncertainties.