Transcript

Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on September 5th, 2023. In our first news story today, the JR Yokohama Line has resumed service. Due to signal confirmation, trains between Hachioji Station in Tokyo and Hashimoto Station in Sagamihara City, Midori Ward were temporarily suspended. However, service has now been restored after 7:30 am.

Moving on to our next story, a truck fire in the Sanyo Tunnel in Akou, Hyogo Prefecture led to a chain-reaction accident. The fire occurred in the early hours of the morning, and as a result, around 10 vehicles following the truck collided. Eight people were injured in the accident, but fortunately, there were no fatalities. Firefighting activities are still ongoing, and both directions of the Sanyo Expressway near the scene have been closed to traffic.

Now let’s turn our attention to the weather. The northern and western regions of Japan are experiencing unstable atmospheric conditions. In Hokkaido, heavy rain is falling, and there is a high risk of landslides. The Japan Meteorological Agency is urging strict caution against landslide disasters.

Coming back to transportation, we have another update on the JR Yokohama Line. Trains between Hachioji and Hashimoto stations are currently suspended in both directions. This suspension is due to signal confirmation at Hachioji Station. Unfortunately, there is no estimated time for the resumption of service at the moment.

Shifting gears, let’s talk about a new system being considered by the Japanese government. The government is planning to introduce a new system called the ‘Japanese version of DBS’ to verify the absence of a criminal record for sexual offenses for individuals working with children. Currently, the focus is on confirming only the criminal record for sexual offenses, and the government is considering a specific period of time for the verification. However, there are discussions ongoing about whether to include the system in local ordinances, as there are variations among prefectures.

Finally, in a court case related to the construction in Henoko, Okinawa, the prefecture has lost against the national government. The case revolves around the approval obligation of the governor regarding the construction of the new base in Henoko, which is designated to replace the US military Futenma base in Okinawa. In response to the court’s ruling, Governor Tamaki stated that he will carefully consider the content of the judgment. The focus now lies on how Governor Tamaki will make his decision, as the prefecture is obligated to approve the construction based on the national government’s instructions. And that’s all for today’s news. Thanks for listening to Japan Daily News.