News

Comic Market Posts Advisory After 3 Were Hospitalized for Heatstroke

The official website for the Comic Market (Comiket) event posted on Sunday an advisory on how to guard against heatstroke for attendees of the event's fourth and final day. The post comes in response to reports of multiple people suffering from heatstroke on Sunday, the event's third day.

The post reminded attendees that the venue is restricting entry for those who have not pre-purchased wristbands for entry into the event. (The event offers entry wristbands for sale onsite on the fourth day, as it has on the previous three days.) Entry restrictions will be lifted at different times at the event's Ariake and Aomi Halls throughout the day, depending on the situation, and the post warned that it is possible that restrictions might not be lifted until the event ends.

Attendees also reported mismanaged line incidents on Sunday that contributed to attendees having to spend extended periods of time in line under the Sunday heat. Some attendees report having to spend hours on standby in the venue's parking lot, and those at the head of the line being directed to the end of the line.

The Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported on Sunday that 11 people at the event complained of poor health, appearing to have suffered from heatstroke. The Tokyo Fire and Disaster Management Agency took three of those individuals to a hospital via emergency transport. Officials reported no lives were in danger. The temperature on Sunday in Tokyo reached 35.5°C (96°F), with an average of 73.8% humidity from 7:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m., and an average of 53.3% humidity from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The event drew about 200,000 attendees on its third day on Sunday, August 11. The total attendance across the first three days is now at about 530,000. Monday will be the final day for the event. Comiket does not have unique passes for visitors, so a person who attends all four days would be counted four times.

Comiket 96 has expanded to a record four days, from August 9 to August 12. The event is also being held across two locations. The organizers of the event have implemented a policy for this event where attendees must purchase a wristband for 500 yen (about US$4.60) to be able to attend the event each day. The wristband color changes daily.

Comiket 97 will run from December 28 to December 31, 2019. Comiket 98 will be held during Golden Week on May 2-5 in 2020 instead of the usual August. The event's usual Tokyo Big Sight venue will serve as the main press center and international broadcasting center for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics from July 24 to August 9, 2020.

Sources: Comic Market website, Asahi Shimbun via Hachima Kikō