Scorching heat is expected to grip much of western and eastern Japan on Monday, the weather agency said, urging people to take extra caution against heatstroke.

Due to a high-pressure system, sweltering weather is expected in much of the country, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), with a heatstroke alert in place for 31 prefectures, from Tokyo and Chiba in the Kanto region through Okinawa in southwestern Japan.

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The JMA forecast daytime highs of 39 degrees Celsius in Hita city, Oita prefecture, and 38 C in cities including Saga, Yamaguchi and Nara.

The mercury is also forecast to jump in areas of Kumamoto prefecture that were hit hard by a massive earthquake in late July, with daytime highs to reach 38 C in Kumamoto city, 37 C in Amakusa city and 36 C in Hitoyoshi city.