■Economy said to be picking up, but we don't feel it：
Indeed, weather is fickle. "Taisho" (major heat), one of the 24 solar terms in the traditional East Asian calendar, fell on July 23. At noon in central Tokyo, the temperature rose steadily and topped 35 degrees for the first time since July 15. Then suddenly, thunder roared and rain came down in sheets. The downpour, which lasted for quite some time, was so heavy that it was almost impossible to see.
In the last four to five decades, the annual number of extremely hot days when the temperature exceeded 35 degrees has nearly tripled, according to an article I read some 10 days ago. I was surprised, but at the same time, it made a lot of sense when I thought about how hot I have come to actually feel. Before, I think I used to complain about the heat when the mercury rose to 30 degrees, but nowadays, I find that level relatively comfortable.
