Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on June 18th, 2024. In today’s news, we have two significant stories coming from Japan.

First, due to the influence of a front and a low-pressure system, heavy rain has been falling in Okinawa, Amami, and Shikoku. There is a possibility of a linear rain band forming in Shikoku around midday on the 18th. This could lead to an increased risk of disasters such as landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, and rising river levels. To learn more about the upcoming rainfall and precautions, we turn to the explanation by Yasuhiro Hiyama, a weather forecaster.

Moving on to our second story, Naha City has issued an evacuation order for the Kozato district, affecting 52,235 people from 27,520 households. This order comes as a result of the potential for landslides due to heavy rain. The city is urging everyone to evacuate from dangerous areas. The current rainfall alert level is at level 4, out of a scale of 5, indicating a high risk of heavy rain.

Next, in a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the serialization of ‘Cyborg 009,’ a sand art display featuring characters from the manga by Shotaro Ishinomori, who was born in Miyagi Prefecture, was unveiled in Ishinomaki on the 16th.

In economic news, the Cabinet Office analyzed the trends in wages last year by age group. It was found that while there was a significant increase in wages for people in their 20s, there was a smaller increase for those in their late 30s and 40s, highlighting a generational gap in wage growth.

Moving on to transportation updates, JR East has issued a warning of possible delays, route changes, and cancellations on the Tokaido Line and Ito Line due to the forecast of heavy rain on the 18th from midday to evening.

Lastly, a tragic accident occurred in Yokohama on the 17th, where an elementary school student riding a bicycle was hit by a dump truck while crossing a pedestrian crossing. The child was taken to the hospital but unfortunately did not survive. The driver of the dump truck, who was a company employee, was arrested at the scene, and the police are currently investigating the circumstances of the accident.

That concludes today’s news from Japan Daily News. Stay safe and have a great day! And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, there will be patchy light drizzle with a high of 19°C and a low of 19°C. The average temperature will be 20°C. There is a 100% chance of rain and the UV index is 1. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.