Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on December 1st, 2023. In our first news story, a 28-year-old father was arrested in Gunma Prefecture for allegedly injuring his 0-year-old son. Last month, the father reportedly struck the baby’s head against the armrest of a sofa, leaving the infant unconscious and in critical condition. The second news story takes us to Chino, Nagano, where a multi-vehicle accident occurred on the Central Expressway. Five vehicles, including a large truck and passenger cars, were involved in the accident, resulting in six people being transported to the hospital. Tragically, one man lost his life in the accident, while the remaining five individuals sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Moving on to other news, NHK’s BS1 and BS Premium have merged to form a new channel called ‘NHK BS’ starting from today, December 1st. This consolidation aims to streamline the broadcasting services and provide a unified viewing experience for the audience.

In global news, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has reported that the average global temperature has risen by approximately 1.4 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels. This increase is expected to make this year the hottest on record. The WMO’s findings highlight the urgent need for global action to address climate change.

Shifting our focus to education, a survey conducted by a teachers’ union revealed that the average overtime work for teachers in elementary, junior high, and high schools, including take-home work, exceeds the threshold for ‘karoshi’ (death from overwork). The union warns that long working hours have become the norm for educators and calls for measures to address this issue.

In the world of literature, the best-selling book of the year was a learning reference book for elementary school students, introducing a method for rapid mental calculations. This book’s popularity reflects the importance placed on educational resources and the desire for effective learning techniques.

Lastly, with 500 days remaining until the opening of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, the sale of advance tickets has begun. As challenges such as cost overruns in venue construction come to light, the focus now shifts to promoting the exhibition’s content and generating nationwide excitement for the event.

That concludes today’s news report from Japan Daily News. Thank you for listening. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be partly cloudy with a high of 11°C and a low of 8°C. There is a 39% chance of overcast skies and a 0% chance of rain. The average temperature will be 9°C. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.