In the harrowing opening of Kim Stanley Robinson’s 2020 science fiction novel, The Ministry for the Future, a humid 38°C heatwave in Uttar Pradesh turns the very air into a mass executioner, transforming a familiar landscape into a graveyard of climate catastrophe.

As I write, the temperature in Banda, Varanasi, and Agra in Uttar Pradesh has crossed 44°C. Delhi is sizzling.

This is not just an Indian story. Asia is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, fuelling more extreme weather and wreaking a heavy toll on economies, ecosystems, and societies, according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

Japan’s legal response to rising heat

Japan is one country that has responded with decisive action. In June 2025, it amended an existing law to make heatstroke prevention a legal obligation for employers. Firms must implement measures—such as shaded break areas, breathable clothing, air-conditioned rest spaces, mandatory rest breaks, and clear emergency transport protocols—whenever the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) reaches 28°C or air temperatures reach 31°C for sustained periods.

WBGT is the "true feel" of heat because it combines air temperature with humidity, wind, and solar radiation, providing an early warning for heatstroke. Failure to comply can bring fines of up to ¥500,000 (about USD 3,475), public citations, or even imprisonment in rare cases. Driven by rising heat deaths in construction and manufacturing, Japan's new mandate finally gives heat safety legal teeth.

India and ASEAN lag behind

India and the ASEAN nations face the same escalating threat, yet their........

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