Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on March 12th, 2024. In tragic incidents, two separate fires have claimed lives in Saitama and Kagoshima. In Saitama, a house in the northern district was engulfed in flames, leaving an elderly couple in their 80s unaccounted for. The police and fire department are currently investigating the situation. Similarly, in Kagoshima, a residential building was completely destroyed by fire, resulting in the discovery of two bodies. The police suspect that the victims are an elderly couple in their 80s and are working to confirm their identities.

Turning to natural disasters, the government’s earthquake investigation committee has released an evaluation suggesting that the Noto Peninsula earthquake may have caused movement in the offshore active fault not only on the northwest side but also on the northeast side. This raises concerns about the potential impact of the earthquake on the region.

Shifting our focus to healthcare, the Saitama Red Cross Hospital has received administrative guidance from the city government regarding inadequate procedures in the psychiatric ward for the compulsory hospitalization of patients. It has been revealed that the required diagnosis by physicians has not been conducted, raising concerns about potential violations of human rights.

In other news, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, is visiting Japan to inspect the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The Japanese government aims to seek international understanding of the safety of the treated water discharge while persistently urging China and other countries to lift the immediate ban on the import of Japanese seafood products.

Moving on to legal matters, the Fukuoka High Court will announce its verdict in the second trial for the leader of the designated dangerous organized crime group, the Kudo-kai, regarding four incidents in which citizens were attacked. The first trial resulted in a death sentence, and it remains to be seen whether the initial judgment, which acknowledged the leader’s involvement as the mastermind without direct evidence, will be upheld.

Lastly, on the 13th anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, citizen groups held a protest rally in front of Tokyo Electric Power Company’s headquarters, demanding the abolition of all nuclear power plants in Japan. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be overcast with a high of 14°C and a low of 7°C. There is a chance of patchy rain nearby throughout the day. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.