Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on June 5th, 2024. In today’s news, we have two significant stories to cover. First, let’s talk about the latest on wages in Japan. According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the average monthly wages for April increased by 2.3% compared to the previous year. This marks the highest growth rate in nearly 30 years. However, when adjusted for inflation, real wages continue to decline. The ministry attributes this to the strong impact of rising prices despite the widespread movement for wage increases during the spring labor negotiations.

Moving on to our second story, the Fukuoka District Court is expected to make a decision today regarding the second retrial request in the infamous Iizuka case. The Iizuka case refers to the murder of two elementary school girls in Iizuka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, 32 years ago. The convicted former death row inmate is seeking a retrial, which has never been granted in similar cases where the death penalty has been executed. The court’s decision is highly anticipated and will be closely watched.

In other news, the Odakyu Odawara Line has resumed operation between Isehara Station and Shimbashi Station after being temporarily suspended due to a personal accident. The line was reopened at around 6:49 am. Meanwhile, in Paraguay, two Japanese men were found dead in their home, and local police suspect foul play. The investigation is ongoing.

That’s all for today’s news from Japan Daily News. Stay tuned for more updates tomorrow. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be partly cloudy with a maximum temperature of 26 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.