Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on April 21st, 2024. In breaking news, two helicopters from the Maritime Self-Defense Force crashed during a training exercise off the Izu Islands on the evening of the 20th. Communication was lost with the helicopters, and out of the eight crew members on board, one has been rescued while seven remain missing. The body of the rescued crew member has been found, and two flight recorders have been recovered near the crash site. The Ministry of Defense has confirmed that the helicopters collided in mid-air and is investigating the cause, including the possibility of a collision. The search for the missing crew members and the wreckage is ongoing.

Moving on to other news, a forest fire that broke out in the mountains of Miyako City in Iwate Prefecture on the afternoon of the 20th continues to spread on the morning of the 21st. Ground firefighting efforts have been challenging, so the Self-Defense Force and other authorities are using helicopters to perform aerial water spraying.

In an effort to promote renewable energy, a company funded by Kawasaki City and others has started supplying electricity generated from a waste treatment facility to public facilities in the city.

In a murder case in Nasu Town, Tochigi Prefecture, the bodies of a man and a woman, both burned, were found. It has been revealed through interviews with investigators that the man and woman were captured on a surveillance camera in Tokyo getting into a car on the evening before their bodies were discovered. The police are working to identify the person who drove the car and others involved in the incident.

In other news, there has been a significant increase in the number of syphilis infections. A gynecologist in Yokohama distributed flyers in front of a train station on the 20th, raising awareness about the risk of infection.

During an event in Sanuki City, Kagawa Prefecture, a device created by a performer exploded, resulting in minor injuries to a one-year-old girl and a 49-year-old male performer.

Finally, Hitomi Soga, who was abducted by North Korea and later returned to Japan, conducted her first signature campaign as a staff member responsible for the abduction issue in Sado City, Niigata Prefecture. She called for the rescue of abduction victims. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be partly cloudy with temperatures ranging from 16°C to 20°C. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.