Transcript

Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on June 28th, 2023. In today’s news, the Japan Meteorological Agency is warning of severe weather conditions in western and eastern Japan. Due to the influence of cold air in the upper atmosphere and warm, humid air, the atmospheric conditions have become highly unstable. The agency is urging caution for heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong gusts of wind, including tornadoes, from now until the 29th.

Moving on to our next story, a famous Kabuki actor, Ichikawa Sarunoshin, has been arrested for assisting in the suicide of his mother. Sarunoshin was found collapsed and confirmed dead at his home in Tokyo. During the pre-arrest questioning, he explained that he would take care of the aftermath. The police are investigating the details, as they have not found the bag of medication consumed by his parents, suggesting that Sarunoshin himself disposed of it.

Now, let’s turn our attention to a tragic accident in Hokkaido. A truck driver involved in a collision with an intercity bus on a national highway in Yakumo-cho had complained of poor health before the accident. The collision resulted in the deaths of five bus passengers and injuries to twelve others. The police are investigating whether the driver’s health condition played a role in the accident.

In other news, the Ministry of the Environment plans to introduce an early warning system for disasters in Southeast Asia to reduce the risks associated with climate change. The system aims to provide timely alerts for disasters caused by heavy rainfall and other factors.

Shifting gears, the Tobu Tojo Line, which had temporarily suspended operations due to a personal accident, has now resumed services between Shiki Station in Saitama Prefecture and Kawagoe-shi Station in Saitama Prefecture.

Moving on to the COVID-19 situation, Okinawa is facing a rapid increase in infections. In the past week, the number of COVID-19 patients transported to hospitals has increased by approximately 1.3 times compared to the previous week, with a total of 157 patients. The dedicated COVID-19 beds in Okinawa are almost full, making it difficult for many hospitals to accept new patients in their emergency departments.

Next, the Child and Family Agency has begun discussions on the introduction of a Japanese version of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), which would require proof of no history of sexual offenses when working in education and childcare. The agency held its first meeting with experts, conducting interviews with survivors of sexual violence in school settings as part of the system’s examination.

Lastly, an update on the Tobu Tojo Line. Due to a personal accident, train services between Shiki Station in Saitama Prefecture and Kawagoe-shi Station in Saitama Prefecture have been suspended in both directions. The resumption of services is expected around 10:30 PM.

That’s all for today’s news. Thank you for listening to Japan Daily News. Stay tuned for more updates. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be mostly cloudy with a chance of patchy rain. The average temperature will be 25°C. And that’s all for today’s news. Thanks for listening to Japan Daily News.