TOKYO - Japan's weather agency said on Tuesday that intense heat is expected to continue in the country from the Tohoku region in the northeast to the Kyushu region in the southwest.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said a high-pressure system covering wide areas in eastern and western Japan is driving up temperatures.

READ MORE: Japan records highest temperature ever as heat wave lingers

A daytime high of 37 degrees Celsius is forecast in Kyoto City and Yonago City on Tuesday, and 36 degrees Celsius in the cities of Aizuwakamatsu, Kofu, Nagoya and Yamaguchi, the JMA said.

If the mercury reaches 35 degrees or higher in Tokyo, the city will tie the record set in 2022, when it experienced nine straight days of extreme heat, the agency added.

READ MORE: Report: Asia warming nearly twice as fast as global average

With heatstroke alerts having been issued for 31 out of 47 prefectures, weather officials urged people to take steps to prevent heatstroke, such as using air-conditioners appropriately, taking in fluids and replenishing salt.