“Enjoy the Hot Summer! Hitosuzumi Campaign 2026” to Be Held at 8,174 Drugstores Across Japan

The Heatstroke Prevention Voice-Calling Project Secretariat operated by Japan Design, a general incorporated association based in Shibuya, Tokyo, and led by Secretary-General and social entrepreneur Taro Yamashita, will hold the “Enjoy the Hot Summer! Hitosuzumi Campaign 2026” from Thursday, May 14 to Friday, August 31, 2026. The campaign will be conducted in cooperation with 8,174 partner drugstores nationwide and supporting companies that offer heat countermeasure products. Through this campaign, the project will work with drugstores that serve as local cooling spots, encouraging people to “take a cooling break” while also purchasing heat countermeasure products. The initiative will promote real-world heatstroke prevention awareness at partner drugstores across Japan, covering the full process from prevention to countermeasures. Campaign details: https://hitosuzumi.jp/campaign/2026 Now in its second year, the campaign is a participatory initiative aimed at solving a social issue, organized by the Heatstroke Prevention Voice-Calling Project. As this summer is also expected to be long and hot, the project will collaborate with participating drugstore companies, which serve as local health stations, as well as supporting companies, to promote the practice of “hitosuzumi,” or taking a cooling break to protect oneself from the heat, simultaneously in many regions across Japan. At the same time, the campaign will also raise awareness of heat countermeasure products in drugstore sales areas, promoting consistent heat-related awareness from heatstroke prevention to practical countermeasures. For the campaign, participants can apply through the campaign website by submitting receipts showing purchases of eligible products from supporting companies worth either 500 yen or 1,000 yen. A lottery will award 200 winners prizes such as meat for nutritional support, ice cream to cool the body, hot spring accommodation vouchers for rest, and 5,000 yen worth of Eraberu Pay that can be used to purchase preferred heat countermeasure products. In addition, a double-chance lottery will award another 200 winners assorted sets of heat countermeasure products provided by participating supporting companies. The organizers encourage people to visit nearby participating drugstores, take a cooling break, and join the campaign. The campaign website will also provide information such as WBGT, or heat index, data supplied by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, as well as information on heatstroke prevention, countermeasures, and response methods. Through the campaign, the project will continue to promote heatstroke prevention awareness. Going forward, heatstroke prevention awareness events in cooperation with local governments are also planned at participating stores. The campaign website will also feature a banner allowing visitors to search for cooling shelters and cooling spots operated by municipalities that are supporting members of the project, with the feature scheduled to open in mid-June. The Heatstroke Prevention Voice-Calling Project will continue advancing various awareness initiatives through public-private collaboration so that the long, hot summer can become an enjoyable one. The Heatstroke Prevention Voice-Calling Project is a public-private initiative involving local governments, government agencies, companies, and private organizations across Japan, with the goal of preventing heatstroke. Launched in 2011, the project is now in its 16th year. Heatstroke can be prevented when people call out and remind one another. The project aims to reduce heatstroke deaths to zero through the power of communication, namely “calling out” to others. Centered on an executive committee of experts including physicians and university professors, the project conducts nationwide public-private awareness activities together with its supporting members. Official project website: https://www.hitosuzumi.jp Ministry of the Environment-supported Heatstroke Countermeasure Advisor Training Course: https://hitosuzumi.jp/aboutadviser