Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on March 17th, 2024. In today’s news, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4 was observed in Fukushima Prefecture at around 6:17 am on the 17th. There is no concern of a tsunami caused by this earthquake.

In other news, a cafe in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, which was affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake, opened for one day in Kanazawa on the 16th. People who have evacuated from the Noto region visited the cafe to enjoy its familiar taste.

Moving on to our next story, residents of the Kuroshima district in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, which suffered severe damage including the collapse of nationally designated cultural properties, have been exchanging opinions for the future reconstruction. They have confirmed that discussions will be conducted based on themes such as ‘safety’ and ‘scenery’.

In Tottori, a man who was caught in an avalanche on Mt. Daisen on March 2nd has been found. The police and other authorities involved in the search for the two missing men discovered an unconscious man on the mountainside on the 16th. The man, a 52-year-old company executive who had been missing, was later confirmed dead. The police will continue the search for the remaining missing person on the 17th.

Moving on, a meeting of a group formed by the families of victims of a murder case was held in Tokyo. They confirmed their future course of action, including the introduction of a system that allows the government to advance compensation to the victims’ side and then claim it from the perpetrator.

In transportation news, the section of the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Kanazawa and Tsuruga opened on the 16th, connecting Tokyo and Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture in just over 3 hours without any transfers. The ‘Hokuriku Support Discount’ also started on the 16th, attracting a large number of tourists to Fukui and Ishikawa Prefectures.

Lastly, the ‘Hokuriku Support Discount’ to support the tourism industry affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake began on the 16th. In Ishikawa, it is also being combined with the acceptance of secondary evacuees. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be patchy rain nearby with a high of 20°C and a low of 13°C. The average temperature will be 16°C. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.