Japanese Company Sells 'Human Fridges' Amidst Intense Summer Heat
The 'Do Hiemon' cooling units offer a novel solution for businesses and public spaces to combat record-breaking temperatures.
Japan is experiencing a severe summer heatwave, with over 53,000 individuals treated for heatstroke and 79 fatalities reported in the past two months. In response to the escalating temperatures, a company has introduced a cooling solution dubbed the 'Do Hiemon,' which translates to "The Cooling Box."
The Do Hiemon units are being deployed in public areas and offered for sale to businesses as a way to provide relief from the heat. Each unit comes with a price tag of 1.5 million yen, approximately $9,407 or £6,973. Tetsuya Nakayama, the company's CEO, stated that the design of these cooling boxes was inspired by vending machines that dispense frozen goods.
One of the BBC's Tokyo correspondents had the opportunity to experience the cooling unit firsthand as part of the reporting on Japan's extreme summer weather.