Fiji rugby player dies in Japan of suspected heatstroke as high of 35C hit

play Live Sign upShow navigation menuNavigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedSportOpinionVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelSponsored Contentplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upSport|RugbyFiji rugby player dies in Japan of suspected heatstroke as high of 35C hitSaimoni Vunilagi was hospitalised with symptoms of heatstroke after rugby team training on Monday, but died on Friday. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoSaimoni Vunilagi's Kyushu KV club hosted Japan against Wales at their Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu in 2025 [Masterpress/Getty Images]By AFPPublished On 8 Aug 20268 Aug 2026A Fijian rugby player with a Japanese professional team has died after being taken to hospital with “symptoms consistent with severe heatstroke”, Saimoni Vunilagi’s club said on Saturday. Second-division side Kyushu KV said 26-year-old Vunilagi was taken to hospital in the southern city of Fukuoka after a team practice on Monday, and died on Friday morning. Temperatures reached a high of 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in Fukuoka on Monday. Vunilagi, a back row forward who stood 196cm (6ft5in) and weighed 117kg (258lb), attended university in Japan and began his professional career in 2023. “The players, staff, and all team associates are devastated by this sudden news,” the club said in a statement. “Although Saimoni had only recently joined Kyushu KV, his generous spirit and powerful style of play had raised high hopes for his contributions in the upcoming season. “We humbly pray for the repose of his soul and extend our heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family.” Japan sweltered through its hottest summer on record last year, and parts of the country have hit 40C (104F) in recent weeks. Close to 18,600 people were taken to hospital for heatstroke between July 20 and 26, with 45 of them pronounced dead on arrival, according to the fire and disaster management agency. Japan experiences about 1,300 heat-related deaths annually and is aiming to halve that number by 2030. Three lions at a Tokyo zoo died from suspected heatstroke, and others are under treatment, a spokeswoman said this week. Scientists say human-induced climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events in Japan and elsewhere. The country’s highest recorded temperature of 41.8C (107F) was registered on August 5, 2025, in Isesaki, north of Tokyo. Authorities have adjusted the timing of several cultural and sporting events in recent years because of the heat, including the World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, which held its final summer edition last weekend. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: