Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on November 18th, 2023. In today’s news, SoftBank has announced that its fixed phone service in eastern Japan, which had been experiencing disruptions since the afternoon of the 18th, has been fully restored as of early morning on the 19th. The service was temporarily unavailable or difficult to use for hundreds of thousands of lines in the area. Meanwhile, due to extensive construction work at JR Shibuya Station as part of the redevelopment project, the JR Yamanote Line’s inner loop between Ikebukuro and Osaki will be suspended for the entire day on the 19th. Other sections of the line will also have reduced service, and JR is encouraging passengers to use alternative routes such as the Saikyo Line that runs parallel to the suspended section.

Moving on to other news, a fire broke out in a public housing complex in Isahaya, Nagasaki on the evening of the 18th, resulting in the deaths of an elderly couple who lived in the affected house. The police are currently trying to confirm the identities of the deceased couple as they have been unable to establish contact with them. In a separate development, the Soka Gakkai religious organization announced on the 18th that its honorary chairman, Daisaku Ikeda, passed away on the night of the 15th at his residence in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, at the age of 95 due to natural causes.

In maritime news, the 10th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters reported that a Chinese fishing boat capsized off the coast of Shimokoshiki Island in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima on the 18th. Five crew members are currently missing, and the Japanese Coast Guard has launched search and rescue operations using aircraft and patrol vessels. Despite their efforts, no trace of the missing individuals has been found so far, and the search will continue on the 19th. The incident occurred in the eastern part of the East China Sea, approximately 330 kilometers west of Shimokoshiki Island, and strong winds were reported in the area at the time.

Turning to weather news, the Japan Meteorological Agency has issued warnings for strong winds, high waves, and potential landslides in northern and eastern Japan due to the influence of a developing low-pressure system and cold air in the upper atmosphere. They are also urging caution against lightning, tornadoes, and hail. Finally, in political news, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Department has requested voluntary questioning of representatives from the political organizations of the five factions within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The request comes after allegations were made that the organizations failed to report approximately 40 million yen in income related to political fundraising parties on their financial disclosure statements. The investigation is ongoing. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be mostly sunny with a high of 17°C and a low of 11°C. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.