Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on March 27th, 2024. In tragic news, a 72-year-old man was found collapsed on an escalator at JR Mito Station last night. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. It appears that part of his jacket got caught in the handrail of the escalator. The police are currently investigating the details of the incident.

Moving on to our next story, as global temperatures continue to rise due to the effects of climate change, the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo has decided to renovate its ‘Monkey Mountain’ to provide better protection from the heat for the monkeys. The mountain will be demolished and replaced with a forest-like structure that offers more shade.

In other news, a 25-year-old member of the Takarazuka Revue, a famous all-female musical theater troupe, has tragically passed away. The family of the deceased alleges that there was harassment by senior members of the troupe. Discussions are underway between the family and the theater management to determine the extent of the harassment and to seek an apology from the top executives of the parent company, Hankyu Corporation.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has announced that it will conduct a detailed survey to determine the presence of the potentially harmful organic fluorine compound known as ‘PFAS’ in food products circulating in the country. This will be the first comprehensive investigation into the presence of ‘PFAS’ in food products in Japan.

In a recent survey conducted by the Cabinet Office, it was revealed that one in four individuals has experienced domestic violence from their spouse. This highlights the urgent need for measures to address this issue and protect victims.

Moving on to health-related news, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has reported a second death related to the consumption of a health food product containing ‘Kouko’ red yeast rice manufactured by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical. The ministry has instructed the company to take necessary actions, including product disposal, in accordance with the Food Sanitation Act. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical has urged consumers to stop using the affected products and is conducting further analysis of the ingredients. NHK has compiled a list of products subject to voluntary recalls nationwide.

Lastly, Osaka University Hospital affiliated with the School of Medicine has issued an apology for mixing up the specimens of two patients, leading to a misdiagnosis of cancer for a patient who did not have the disease. This unfortunate incident has raised concerns about patient safety and the need for improved protocols in medical institutions.

That concludes today’s news from Japan Daily News. Thank you for listening. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be sunny with a high of 13°C and a low of 6°C. Enjoy the day! Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.