Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on February 26th, 2024. In our first news story, the heavy snowfall that has been affecting the Kanto and Koshin regions has finally passed its peak. However, the Japan Meteorological Agency warns that on the 27th, coastal areas of Kanto and the Izu Islands will experience high waves and strong winds due to the influence of a low-pressure system. They urge residents to be cautious of the high waves and pay close attention to the strong winds.

Moving on to our next story, it has been two years since Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine. To show support for Ukraine, a charity concert was held in Tokyo on the 25th. The concert aimed to raise funds and provide assistance to the country.

Next, we turn our attention to the Noto Peninsula earthquake. It has been eight weeks since the earthquake, which reached a maximum intensity of 7 on the seismic scale, struck the Noto Peninsula. More than 10,000 people are still living in evacuation shelters, and the challenge now is how to continue providing support to these individuals.

In a tragic incident, three convenience store employees were attacked with knives in Sapporo on the 25th. One of the victims, a man in his 40s, unfortunately, lost his life. According to police investigations, all three employees were attacked inside the store. The incident was captured on surveillance cameras.

Moving on to another unfortunate event, a residential building in Misato, Kumamoto, was completely engulfed in flames on the night of the 25th. Two bodies were discovered in the ruins, and it is believed that the victims are an elderly couple in their 80s who lived in the house. Police are currently investigating the incident.

In transportation news, all road closures on the Chuo Expressway have been lifted. Due to snow-related accidents and snow removal operations, certain sections of the Chuo Expressway were closed starting from the 25th. However, as of 4 am on the 26th, all closures have been lifted, and the expressway is now fully accessible.

Lastly, in relation to the issue surrounding the death of a 25-year-old member of the Takarazuka Revue, the parent company of the Takarazuka Revue, Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, is in the final stages of negotiations for the resignation of Chairman Kazuo Tsuno from the board of the theater company. This development comes as part of the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.

That concludes today’s news report. Thank you for listening to Japan Daily News. Stay tuned for more updates. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be mostly cloudy with a chance of light rain. The average temperature will be 8 degrees Celsius. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.