Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on May 15th, 2024. In today’s news, the number of cases of ‘severe streptococcal infection’ is increasing at an alarming rate. This infection can cause severe symptoms such as necrosis of the hands and feet, and in some cases, even death. Experts are urging people to practice basic infection prevention measures, such as handwashing and disinfection of wounds.

Moving on to our next story, the relief expenditure for the Noto Peninsula earthquake has reached over 2.7 billion yen, making it the largest amount spent on so-called ‘push-type support’ without waiting for requests from affected municipalities. The Cabinet Office has released this information in a summary report.

Now, let’s turn our attention to a tragic accident on the Saitama section of the Metropolitan Expressway. A large truck collided with a line of congested traffic, resulting in the death of three people. Footage from a surveillance camera installed on the road captured the moment of the collision, showing that the truck did not slow down. The driver, when questioned, stated that they were not conscious at the time of the impact. The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.

In other news, the Hiroshima High Court’s Matsue branch will announce its decision today regarding the temporary injunction filed by local residents to prevent the restart of Unit 2 at the Shimane Nuclear Power Plant in Matsue City. The residents claim that the plant’s preparations for restart are insufficient in terms of earthquake and volcanic eruption scenarios. As the only prefectural capital with a nuclear power plant, the court’s decision is of great interest, especially considering the planned restart in December of this year.

Moving on, the closure of the down lane on the Metropolitan Expressway Route 5 Ikebukuro Line, which was caused by an accident on the 14th, has been lifted. Repaving work and the removal of burnt soundproof walls have been completed, allowing the lane to reopen as of 2 a.m. on the 15th.

In another unfortunate incident on the Kawasaki section of the Metropolitan Expressway Bayshore Line, a truck collided with two passenger cars, resulting in one fatality and two serious injuries. The police have arrested a 28-year-old company employee who was driving the truck on suspicion of negligent driving resulting in injury. At the time of the accident, the three occupants of the passenger cars were outside the vehicles. The police are currently investigating the details of the accident.

Lastly, we turn our attention to the recent ‘escort ship’ video controversy. It has been revealed through interviews with government officials that the Self-Defense Forces were unable to detect the intrusion of a drone into their base, where a video was allegedly taken of an escort ship. The video was subsequently posted on social media, and it appears to have been genuinely filmed within the base. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be mostly sunny with a high of 22°C and a low of 16°C. There is a 0% chance of rain and a UV index of 6. Enjoy your day! Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.