Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on February 23rd, 2024. In today’s news, the Japanese government is adjusting the crime history check period for the introduction of the ‘Japanese version of the Disclosure and Barring Service’ (DBS). Under the new system, individuals working with children will have their criminal records checked, and for those who have been sentenced to imprisonment or a more severe punishment, the check period will be adjusted to 20 years after the completion of their sentence.

Moving on to our next story, the prefectures of Toyama, Fukui, and Niigata have announced the implementation of the ‘Hokuriku Support Discount’ starting from March 16th. This initiative aims to support tourism businesses affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake by providing subsidies for accommodation expenses of tourists. The support will be available for stays until April 26th.

In other news, a tragic incident occurred in Iwakura, Aichi, where two men were hit by a train at a level crossing. One person was killed, and the other is in critical condition and unconscious. The police believe that one of the men was trying to rescue an elderly man who was trapped on the crossing, and the other man got caught in the accident.

On a different note, today marks the 64th birthday of His Majesty the Emperor.

Shifting gears, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has revealed a proposal regarding the guidelines for the minimum amount of monthly contributions to the repair reserve fund for condominiums. This proposal aims to address the increasing cases of insufficient funds in the repair reserve. The ministry plans to set a lower limit for the monthly contributions, encouraging planned accumulation from the beginning.

In a significant development, Masao Akahori, who was acquitted in a retrial of the ‘Shimada Incident,’ a case that took place 70 years ago in Shizuoka Prefecture, has passed away in Nagoya at the age of 94. The incident involved the murder of a 6-year-old girl, and after initially being sentenced to death, Akahori was found innocent in the retrial.

Lastly, in a court case where a club hostess in Osaka’s Kita-Shinchi district sought compensation for defamation due to false internet comments claiming she had infected comedian Ken Shimura with COVID-19, the Osaka District Court has ordered the two individuals responsible for the posts to pay her 120,000 yen each in damages. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be light drizzle with a high of 4°C and a low of 3°C. The average temperature will be 4°C, and there is a 100% chance of rain. The visibility will be 2 kilometers, and the UV index will be 1. Overall, it will be a cloudy day with a 92% chance of overcast skies. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.