Transcript

Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on September 24th, 2023. Today, we have two significant news stories from Japan.

First, the Imperial Couple, Prince and Princess Akishino, who are currently on an official visit to Vietnam, explored the historic city of Hoi An in central Vietnam. They took a stroll through the UNESCO World Heritage site of the old town, which was once home to a Japanese community during the early Edo period. This visit highlights the historical ties and cultural exchange between Japan and Vietnam.

Moving on to our second story, it has been one month since the release of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea. This has presented challenges for the seafood industry, as China has strongly opposed the release and imposed a complete ban on the import of Japanese seafood. The impact of this ban has been felt, with a need to find new export markets and expand domestic consumption of seafood in Japan.

In other news, in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, there has been a case of food poisoning linked to bento boxes produced by the local company, Yoshidaya. The Hachinohe City Health Department suspects that there may have been issues with the acceptance of ingredients from external suppliers and is currently investigating the cause of the food poisoning.

Back to the Fukushima water release, despite the controversy, the market in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, remains lively. Fish caught in the region are being auctioned off one after another, showing the resilience and vitality of the local market.

On a different note, the decision to release the treated water has had an unexpected consequence. In Iwaki City, there has been a significant increase in the number of donations through the ‘Furusato Tax’ system, where individuals can make donations to their hometowns in exchange for tax breaks. Since the announcement of the water release, the daily number of donations has increased more than tenfold compared to before the decision was made.

Lastly, an update on transportation. The JR Takasaki Line, which had suspended operations between Ueno Station and Takasaki Station due to a fatal accident at Kitakami Station in Saitama Prefecture, has resumed full service. Both the up and down lines are now operating as usual.

That’s all for today’s news from Japan Daily News. Thank you for listening! And that’s all for today’s news. Thanks for listening to Japan Daily News.