Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on March 18th, 2024. The Ministry of the Environment has commissioned research to three groups, including Hokkaido University, to investigate the health effects of PFAS, a group of organic fluorine compounds that are considered harmful. In Osaka’s Naniwa Ward, the pork bun manufacturing and sales company ‘Hourai’ announced that plastic pieces were found in some of their pork buns sold on the 16th and 17th. The company is currently recalling the affected products and disposing of the filling. So far, nine customers have reported finding plastic pieces, but there have been no reports of health issues related to the contamination. In response to the increasing need for specialized support for children who have experienced sexual abuse, a facility in Tokyo staffed by medical professionals will be opened next month to provide counseling services. In Ishikawa Prefecture, the veterinary medical association provided free pet care in the city of Suzu, as local animal hospitals were affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake. Former Japanese national soccer team player Hidetoshi Nakata and others visited the city of Suzu in Ishikawa Prefecture to support the recovery efforts from the Noto Peninsula earthquake. They operated small excavators to remove debris. In the case of the Sapporo convenience store stabbing incident last month, where three store employees were attacked with a knife, resulting in one fatality, the police have re-arrested the 43-year-old suspect on charges of murder and attempted murder. Tokyo Electric Power Company announced that they have completed the fourth and final release of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which had been accumulating on-site, on the 17th. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be partly cloudy with a high of 12°C and a low of 7°C. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.