Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on December 28th, 2023. In today’s news, a verdict has been reached in the wrongful export case, where three individuals, including the president of a chemical machinery manufacturer in Yokohama, were arrested on suspicion of illegal exports. The Tokyo District Court ruled that the investigation by the prosecution and the Metropolitan Police Department was illegal, ordering the government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to pay over 162 million yen in compensation. The focus now shifts to whether the investigative agencies will appeal the decision.

In other news, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has decided to waive the requirement for additional clinical trials on Japanese individuals for foreign drugs under development. This move aims to expedite the approval and availability of these drugs in Japan.

Moving on, the dedicated consultation hotline established by the government to address the issue of the ‘income barrier’ has received over 20,000 inquiries in just over two months. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare expressed continued interest in providing support measures for the income barrier issue.

In an effort to prevent ‘support scams,’ where individuals are deceived into providing money under the pretense of computer virus infections, a specialized organization in information security has launched an awareness website. The site allows users to experience the actual methods used in these scams on their computers, helping to prevent potential victims.

The increasing number of elderly individuals in the workforce has led to a new focus on supporting their employment and reskilling efforts. According to a survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the number of elderly workers reached a record high of 9.12 million in 2022. However, the mismatch between the desired occupations of these individuals and the needs of employers remains a challenge. Various initiatives are being implemented to support job placement and reskilling programs.

In the field of renewable energy, the Japanese government has summarized the outline of a revised law that would allow the installation of offshore wind power facilities within Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will designate the installation areas and invite interested companies to participate. Approval for installation will be granted after consultations with stakeholders, including the fishing industry.

Lastly, Hitomi Soga, who was abducted by North Korea 45 years ago in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, and later repatriated to Japan, has expressed her heartfelt desire for her 92-year-old mother, Miyoshi, on her birthday. In a written response to NHK, Soga urged her mother not to give up on returning to Japan and expressed her hope for a swift reunion. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be mostly cloudy with a chance of rain. The temperature will range from 7 to 8 degrees Celsius. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.