Transcript

Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on August 22nd, 2023. Today, we have some important news stories from Japan.

First, a dangerous heatwave is expected in Fukushima and Niigata. The maximum temperature during the day is predicted to reach 38 degrees Celsius, posing a risk of heatstroke. It is advised to stay hydrated and take precautions against heatstroke, such as avoiding strenuous activities.

In other news, a new drug that directly targets the causative substance of Alzheimer’s disease has been approved. The drug, developed jointly by pharmaceutical companies in Japan and the United States, has received approval from the expert committee of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. It is expected to be used by patients as early as the end of this year.

Moving on, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has decided to allocate funds in next year’s budget proposal to address the shortage of teachers and reduce long working hours. The budget will include initiatives to collaborate with universities and companies to discover potential teachers and provide support staff to assist with management tasks carried out by principals.

In Tokyo, a robbery took place near Ikebukuro Station. Two individuals entered a room rented by a company in a building and sprayed an unknown substance on an employee before fleeing with several million yen in cash. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating the case as a robbery.

The Ministry of Defense plans to establish a permanent ‘Joint Command’ to oversee the unified command of the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces. This initiative aims to address the increasing need for a unified response to areas such as cyberspace and electromagnetic waves that do not fall under the jurisdiction of any specific Self-Defense Force. The Joint Command is expected to be established next year with a staff of approximately 240 personnel.

As the time for diluting and releasing the treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the sea approaches, a fish market owner in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, who has been working on countermeasures against rumors since the accident, expressed the importance of creating an atmosphere to prevent further reputational damage.

Lastly, in Hokkaido, it is believed that the brown bear known as ‘OSO18,’ which has attacked over 60 cows in the eastern part of the prefecture, has been eliminated. The final confirmation, including DNA testing, is currently underway.

That’s all for today’s news. Thank you for listening to Japan Daily News. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, there will be patchy rain possible with a high temperature of 28°C and a low temperature of 28°C. The average temperature will be 28°C. The UV index will be 6, and there is a 54% chance of rain. And that’s all for today’s news. Thanks for listening to Japan Daily News.