Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on June 11th, 2024. In today’s news, a woman was fatally stabbed in Yokohama, and the suspect is missing after being admitted to a rehabilitation facility for a separate incident. The 57-year-old woman was attacked with a knife near JR Yokohama Station and was killed. The suspect, who had recently been sentenced guilty in another case, went missing right after being admitted to a private rehabilitation facility. The police are investigating the details based on a report from the victim’s mother.

Moving on to our next story, the famous hydrangeas at Unshoji Temple in Akita’s Oga City have started to bloom, attracting many visitors. The beautiful flowers are a popular sightseeing spot for locals and tourists alike.

In political news, preparations are underway for the upcoming Tokyo gubernatorial election. Incumbent Governor Koike is expected to announce her candidacy tomorrow. The election, scheduled for next month, will be closely watched as it will determine the future leadership of Tokyo.

In the medical field, it has been revealed that 16 cases of heart transplant surgeries were postponed last year due to the capacity limitations of medical institutions. The decision to defer the transplants was made by the institutions based on their ability to accommodate the patients. Although no hearts were wasted, the Japan Heart Transplantation Society emphasizes the need for better coordination and cooperation among medical facilities.

Shifting gears, the fishing ban on whitebait, known as ‘shirasu,’ has been lifted in the Seto Inland Sea. In Hiroshima’s Kure City, the production of ‘chirimen-jako,’ a local specialty made by boiling and drying freshly caught whitebait, has begun.

In international news, His Majesty the Emperor had a meeting with the Crown Prince of Luxembourg at the Imperial Palace. The Emperor and the Crown Prince discussed various topics of mutual interest during the official visit.

Lastly, Japan is facing a serious issue of declining birth rates. The birth rate hit a record low of 1.20 last year, raising concerns about the impact of population decline. According to an NHK survey, over 80% of respondents expressed a sense of crisis regarding the effects of the declining birth rate on society.

That’s all for today’s news. Thank you for listening to 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 21 degrees Celsius. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.