Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on December 11th, 2023. Today, we have some important news stories from Japan.

First, there has been a communication outage in western Japan. KDDI, a major telecommunications company, reported that their network experienced difficulties starting from around 7 a.m. Users of au and UQ Mobile, which rely on KDDI’s network, have been unable to make voice calls or access data services. KDDI is working to restore the services as quickly as possible and has apologized for the inconvenience caused.

Moving on to politics, the ruling coalition parties, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito, are accelerating discussions on tax reform for the next fiscal year. The LDP is advocating for a one-time reduction in income tax and other taxes, while Komeito is urging for flexibility in the reduction frequency. Detailed negotiations are expected to take place.

In other news, a 21-year-old Self-Defense Force member has been arrested on suspicion of stabbing an elderly man to death in Kyoto. The police investigation revealed that the suspect confessed, stating that it could have been anyone. The motive behind the incident is still under investigation.

In a tragic incident, one of the missing crew members of the U.S. military’s Osprey aircraft, which crashed off Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, has been found dead. The U.S. military announced that they recovered the body of one of the two crew members who had been missing.

A 29-year-old man was found dead inside a car at a campsite in Yorii Town, Saitama Prefecture. The police suspect that the man, who was camping alone, may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning while trying to keep warm using charcoal.

Moving on, Hitomi Soga, a former abductee who was kidnapped by North Korea and returned to Japan 21 years ago, conducted a signature campaign with children in Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, calling for the swift rescue of other abductees.

Lastly, a symposium was held in Tokyo to discuss the challenges in the entertainment industry, including sexual harassment and excessive work hours. Legal experts and researchers gathered to exchange opinions on the current situation and the issues at hand. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be partly cloudy with a maximum temperature of 15°C and a minimum temperature of 13°C. There is a 31% chance of overcast skies and a 0% chance of rain. The UV index is 4, indicating moderate sun exposure. Enjoy your day! Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.