Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on October 17th, 2023. In today’s news, Janies Agency, in light of the sexual assault allegations against Johnny Kitagawa, has decided to change its name to SMILE-UP. The agency has also announced that it will be responsible for compensating the victims starting next month. The details of the compensation and how the victims will be identified are of great interest.

Moving on to our next story, Yamato Transport, one of Japan’s largest delivery companies, has decided to terminate contracts with approximately 30,000 independent contractors responsible for delivering lightweight packages such as direct mail. Part-time employees involved in sorting will also be affected. In response, employees held a press conference demanding the reversal of the contract termination.

In other news, singer-songwriter Shinji Tanimura, known for his hit songs such as ‘Fuyu no Inazuma’ and ‘Subaru,’ passed away on October 8th at the age of 74.

On the transportation front, the Keio Line, which had suspended operations between Tsutsujigaoka and Todoroki due to a human accident, has resumed full service as of 12:50 a.m.

In Hokkaido, a monitor tour was conducted to explore Mt. Usu, which erupted in 2000, in an effort to create adventure travel programs.

Shifting to agricultural news, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has released the findings of an investigation into the outbreak of Classical Swine Fever (CSF) at pig farms in Saga Prefecture. The investigation team concluded that the virus was likely introduced through the movement of people and goods.

Lastly, the Keio Line is currently experiencing partial service suspension between Tsutsujigaoka and Todoroki, as well as between Chofu and Wakabadai, due to a human accident at Shibasaki Station in Chofu, Tokyo, at around 10:46 p.m. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.