Transcript

Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on September 10th, 2023. In the past few days, Japan has experienced record-breaking rainfall, leading to severe flooding in several areas. In Fukushima, the cities of Iwaki and Minamisoma have been particularly affected, with over 1,000 houses submerged. The damage is still being assessed, and the number of affected homes is expected to increase. Tragically, three people have lost their lives in the floods in Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures, where more than 100 houses have also been flooded.

Moving on to another news story, a disturbing incident occurred in Chiba. A female university student in her 20s was attacked and robbed by a man late at night. The assailant approached her from behind, knocked her down, and stole her bag containing cash. The victim sustained a cut on her arm during the assault. The police are investigating the case as a robbery and assault, and they are currently searching for the suspect.

In international news, Morocco experienced a powerful earthquake, resulting in significant damage. The earthquake struck the historic city of Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site, causing multiple buildings to be affected. Tragically, the earthquake has claimed the lives of 1,305 people, with 1,832 others injured.

Shifting our focus back to Japan, there have been developments in the corruption case involving Member of Parliament Masatoshi Akimoto. After his parliamentary questioning, an email from the former president of a wind power company to the company’s executives revealed that he had requested Akimoto to ask specific questions in parliament. The questions were aligned with the company’s interests in an offshore wind power project off the coast of Aomori Prefecture. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors’ Office is currently investigating the details of this incident.

In Yokohama, a chilling crime took place in a hotel room. The police have arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of murder and disposing of a body. The victim, a woman, was found dead in the hotel room, and it is believed that she was assaulted and killed by the suspect. The accused denies the allegations.

Moving on to natural disasters, the Tokara Islands near Kagoshima have been experiencing frequent earthquakes with strong tremors since the 8th of September. The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a warning for residents to be cautious of these earthquakes, as they may cause significant shaking.

Lastly, a concerning trend has been observed across Japan. Between April and July of this year, there have been over 50 incidents of bear attacks on humans, marking a record high. The Ministry of the Environment is urging people to remain vigilant and take precautions when in bear-populated areas.

That concludes today’s news report from Japan Daily News. Stay tuned for more updates on the latest events happening in Japan. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be mostly clear with a high temperature of 27°C and a low temperature of 27°C. There is a 97% chance of high temperature, 82% chance of dry weather, and 0% chance of rain. The wind will be blowing from the southwest at a speed of 11 km/h. Overall, it will be a warm and sunny day. And that’s all for today’s news. Thanks for listening to Japan Daily News.