Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on January 26th, 2024. In today’s news, Saitama City has announced that it will abandon its request for the extension of the Saitama High-Speed Railway construction due to the soaring construction costs. The city cited the high expenses as the reason for not proceeding with the project this fiscal year.

In other news, the effects of the Noto Peninsula earthquake continue to be felt in Ishikawa Prefecture, with water shortages in several areas. To address this, water supply support and bathing assistance from the Self-Defense Forces are being implemented in nine cities and towns, including Rikuzentakata. The situation is being regularly updated.

Moving on, it has been revealed that more than 40% of the municipalities in Tokyo have experienced delays of several months in providing ‘special education’ for children with developmental disabilities. The delays are attributed to issues with the examination system. Some children have even become unable to attend school, highlighting the need for urgent improvement in support services.

In response to the Noto Peninsula earthquake, the government has compiled support measures for the reconstruction and recovery of the affected areas. On the 26th, the government will allocate over 150 billion yen from the reserve budget of this fiscal year to provide continuous support until the full recovery and reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas.

Meanwhile, the cold weather continues to pose challenges for the earthquake-affected areas. Rikuzentakata, one of the areas hit hardest by the Noto Peninsula earthquake, recorded a temperature of -1.1 degrees Celsius on the 26th. Residents are advised to be cautious of low body temperature and to watch out for accidents such as slipping on snow and icy roads during the recovery work.

In a discussion among experts, the rapid advancement of virtual spaces in the metaverse and artificial intelligence (AI) is raising questions about their impact on our lives. While there is optimism about the potential of these new technologies, experts emphasize the importance of not losing the ability to think for ourselves.

Lastly, in response to the tragic incident of a first-year female student who took her own life at a municipal junior high school in Sapporo three years ago, the Sapporo Board of Education has decided to introduce an app for all elementary and junior high school students in the city. The app will include surveys on bullying and management of mental and physical health. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be mostly sunny with a high of 10°C and a low of 3°C. There is a 0% chance of rain and the UV index is 3. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.