Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on October 4th, 2023. In Nagasaki, a small boat collided with a breakwater at a fishing port, injuring 7 people including children. Fortunately, there were no life-threatening injuries reported, and the coast guard is investigating the incident. Meanwhile, Typhoon 14 is making its closest approach to the Ishigaki Island region, with authorities urging caution due to high waves and strong winds. Moving on, a festival in Takahama City, Aichi Prefecture, has faced criticism for an event where participants were seen kicking horses. The city has advised the organizing committee to ensure that inappropriate actions are not repeated. In other news, the number of elementary and middle school students with school refusal has reached a record high of over 290,000, along with an increase in reported cases of bullying and violence. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology attributes this to changes in living conditions and social restrictions during the pandemic. Shifting gears, it has been 110 years since the first three female university students in Japan graduated from Tohoku University. A recently discovered letter suggests that one of these women, who became a researcher, received support from her mentor for many years. Experts believe that this finding provides valuable insights into the low representation of female researchers in modern society. In a brief announcement, the Japan Meteorological Agency has informed that maintenance work on the earthquake and tsunami observation system off the coast of Tohoku and Kanto regions may cause a delay of up to 15 seconds in issuing emergency earthquake alerts in case of seismic activity between Fukushima and Chiba prefectures. Lastly, an investigation has revealed that a male member of the soccer team at Kumamoto Prefectural Otsu High School, known for its strong performance, was subjected to bullying last year, including being forced to perform a naked apology. The prefectural board of education has classified this as a serious incident and will conduct a thorough investigation. The student, along with his parents, expressed their dissatisfaction with the school’s response and requested a separate investigation into the school’s handling of the situation. And that’s all for today’s news. Thanks for listening to Japan Daily News.