Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on January 12th, 2024. In today’s news, we have updates on the transportation situation following the earthquake, as well as plans to strengthen support for ‘business caregivers’. Let’s start with the transportation disruptions caused by the earthquake. As of 5 a.m. today, there have been reports of damage to roads and impacts on various modes of transportation. The earthquake on the Noto Peninsula has forced some businesses to downsize, leading to adjustments in employment support. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is considering increasing the subsidy rate for companies providing leave allowances to employees, with a maximum rate of 80%. In the aftermath of the earthquake, the city of Wajima and other areas in Ishikawa Prefecture have experienced damage to their firefighting headquarters’ emergency line. To ensure communication in case of emergencies, temporary phone numbers have been set up. Additionally, special measures have been implemented for the victims of the earthquake. The National Public Safety Commission has extended the validity period of driver’s licenses for the affected individuals by up to 5 months, until the end of June. Moving on to other news, a tragic incident occurred in Saiki, Oita Prefecture, where a residential fire claimed the lives of two individuals. The police are currently investigating the cause of the fire. Lastly, the earthquake in the Noto region continues to impact essential services such as water and electricity. Updates on the water supply and support information are being provided regularly. That’s all for today’s news from Japan Daily News. Stay tuned for more updates on tomorrow’s episode. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be sunny with a maximum temperature of 11°C and a minimum temperature of 5°C. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.