Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on January 15th, 2024. In our top news stories today:

First, it has been two weeks since the Noto Peninsula earthquake, which recorded a maximum intensity of 7. The earthquake activity has remained active, with nearly 1,400 tremors felt since January 1st. Residents are advised to remain cautious of strong tremors of at least intensity 5 or higher. The affected areas are also experiencing severe cold temperatures, and snow is expected in the coming days. Residents in areas with loose ground due to the tremors should be vigilant against landslides and take precautions against hypothermia.

Moving on to our next story, as the shortage of manpower for snow removal becomes a challenge during the winter season, there has been a surge in the development of autonomous snowplows and remote-controlled operations.

In other news, the verdict for the Sagawa incident lawsuit, in which students entered a U.S. military base in Tokyo in 1957 and were subsequently convicted, will be announced today at the Tokyo District Court. The plaintiffs argue that the trial was unfair, as it was later discovered that the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court had an unofficial meeting with the U.S. side and shared information about the verdict in advance. The evaluation of these circumstances is of great interest.

Moving on, authorities are concerned about the spread of fraud and malicious business practices taking advantage of the disaster in the Noto Peninsula. To address this, the Consumer Affairs Agency and the National Consumer Affairs Center have set up a hotline to receive phone consultations from affected residents.

Next, this year will see revisions to tax regulations related to housing, including a review of the housing loan tax reduction and tax measures for tower apartments, as well as tax reforms to promote asset transfer.

In other news, it has been four years since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Japan. With the increasing global prevalence of new variant viruses and a rise in consultations regarding post-infection symptoms, tackling both the prevention of infection and the management of post-infection symptoms remains a challenge.

Lastly, the shortage of staff responsible for caregiving in Noto Peninsula continues to be a serious issue. Two weeks after the earthquake, elderly care facilities in the affected areas are still facing water shortages and deteriorating hygiene conditions. Efforts to relocate elderly residents to other facilities to ensure their safety and health are intensifying. However, the shortage of caregiving staff remains a significant challenge in supporting these facilities and staff members.

That’s it for today’s news from Japan Daily News. Stay tuned for more updates tomorrow. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be partly cloudy with a high of 9°C and a low of 4°C. There is a 91% chance of sunshine and a 0% chance of rain or snow. The wind will be blowing at a speed of 19 km/h. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.