Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on October 28th, 2023. In today’s news, the Japanese government is considering the introduction of ride-sharing services, known as ‘ride-sha,’ where private car owners can transport passengers for a fee. The government aims to compile a report on the matter by the end of the year, taking into account concerns about passenger safety. Moving on to our next story, Tokyo’s Shibuya district has requested convenience stores and other retailers around Shibuya Station to refrain from selling alcohol on October 28th, which is expected to be the busiest day before Halloween since the transition to the fifth category of COVID-19 restrictions. Let’s now turn our attention to the weather. Unstable atmospheric conditions continue to affect a wide area of western and northern Japan. On October 27th, gusts of wind, including tornadoes, were reported in Hiroshima Prefecture, and hail fell in various locations. The risk of localized cumulonimbus clouds developing remains in western Japan on October 28th and in eastern and northern Japan on October 29th. Please exercise caution for intense gusts of wind, sudden heavy rain, and hail. Shifting gears, in a high-profile murder case that occurred 57 years ago in Shizuoka Prefecture, the retrial of Iwao Hakamada began on October 27th at the Shizuoka District Court. The trial is expected to conclude in April next year. Hakamada, who had previously been sentenced to death, is seeking a speedy trial and an early acquittal. Moving on to healthcare news, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has revealed its focus for the revision of medical service fees for the next fiscal year. Taking into account the wage increase trend, the ministry aims to improve the treatment of medical professionals to secure a skilled workforce. In environmental news, following the detection of excessive levels of mercury in the wastewater from a chemical manufacturer’s factory in Meiwacho, Gunma Prefecture, subsequent water quality tests conducted downstream on October 26th showed that all substances, including mercury, were below the standard limits. The prefectural government will now guide the company in identifying the cause and implementing improvements. Lastly, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has reported that the number of people transported due to heatstroke from May to September this year reached over 91,000 nationwide, the second highest on record. In northern Japan, the number more than doubled compared to the previous year. That wraps up today’s news. Thank you for listening to Japan Daily News. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be mostly sunny with a high of 22°C and a low of 17°C. There is a slight chance of rain in the afternoon. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.