Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on December 27th, 2023. In today’s news, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is planning to expand regulations on advertising vehicles, including those with non-Tokyo license plates, starting from May 2024. The government’s advisory council has recommended that the design of both Tokyo and non-Tokyo registered vehicles should be regulated. This decision comes in response to concerns about the appearance of these vehicles in busy areas. Moving on to another news story, a tragic car accident occurred in Suginami Ward, Tokyo, yesterday. A female pedestrian and a young girl were fatally hit by a car. The driver, an employee of an auto repair company, stated during the investigation that he accidentally hit the pedestrians while backing up to test drive a vehicle he had repaired. The car involved in the accident was an older foreign-made model. The Metropolitan Police Department is conducting a detailed investigation to determine the circumstances of the accident. Now, let’s turn our attention to a legal case. After being detained for nearly a year on suspicion of illegal exports, the president of a company, along with others, has been seeking over 500 million yen in compensation from the national government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. They claim that the investigation was conducted unlawfully. The trial, which has attracted attention due to the testimony of an active investigator alleging fabrication, will reach its verdict today at the Tokyo District Court. Shifting gears, we have an interesting story from Wakayama Prefecture. Firefighters recently conducted a cleaning operation on the stone walls at Shinjuku Castle Ruins, a designated national historic site. This effort aims to preserve and maintain the cultural heritage of the area. Now, let’s move on to the topic of nuclear power plants. The Nuclear Regulation Authority is expected to lift the de facto ban on operations at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company, after a hiatus of two years and eight months. The plant had faced restrictions due to concerns about counterterrorism measures. Finally, we have a disturbing incident in Nagoya. A 20-year-old woman was fatally stabbed with a knife at a karaoke establishment near Nagoya Station. The suspect, who has been arrested, was accompanied by the victim at the time of the incident. Police discovered another woman’s body in the suspect’s apartment. The suspect confessed to drowning the second victim in a bathtub. Authorities are investigating the relationship between the suspect and the two women, as well as the details of the case. And that concludes today’s news from Japan Daily News. Thank you for listening. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be partly cloudy with a maximum temperature of 12°C and a minimum temperature of 7°C. There is a 0% chance of rain and a UV index of 3. Enjoy your day! Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.