Heatwave sweeps Japan leaving several dead

TOKYO, Aug 16 (Reuters) Temperatures hit record highs in Japan today as a heatwave sweeps the country, leaving several dead over the last few days.

In Tajimi city, 400 km west of Tokyo, the mercury hit 40.9 degrees Celsius, topping the previous record of 40.8 logged in 1933, the Meteorological Agency said.

At least seven elderly people have died from heatstroke in the last two days, including a 59-year-old man found dead in his living room in a city near Tokyo today.

The energy market is watching the weather closely this summer after a strong earthquake last month damaged and closed a nuclear reactor -- the world's largest -- that supplies most of the electricity to the Tokyo region.

Tokyo Electric Power Co, the operator of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata prefecture has said it may struggle to meet peak power demand from the capital if temperatures go above 35.3 Celsius, as they have done for the last few days.

The summer heat and humidity result in greater use of air conditioners, boosting electricity demand.

But TEPCO downplayed worries of an imminent power shortage, saying electricity demand tends to fall during this week's ''obon'' holidays as major consumers such as manufacturers shut their factories.

REUTERS RJ SSC1255