Japanese industry minister Koichi Hagiuda called on people in Tokyo and eight other prefectures on Tuesday to limit their electricity consumption despite unseasonably cold weather, according to Kyodo News Agency.

"Due to the cold weather, the demand for electricity in Tohoku Electric Power Company is also increasing. Once again, we would like to ask you to cooperate with maximum energy saving in both Tokyo and Tohoku region," Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said via Twitter on the same day.