Hello and welcome to today’s news from Japan Daily News on July 3rd, 2024. In today’s news, the Japan Meteorological Agency has issued an intense rainfall warning for eastern and northern Japan, particularly along the Sea of Japan coast. Due to the influence of a front, there is a possibility of extremely heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms from July 4th. The agency is urging caution against landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, and rising river levels.

Moving on to our next story, it has been three years since the major landslide in Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The ‘caution zone’ that had been set up in the affected area was lifted in September last year. However, only 14% of the households within the zone have returned to their homes as of the end of last month. Experts are pointing out the need for long-term support as some residents are experiencing deteriorating health conditions.

Turning to the weather, today will be scorching hot in the Pacific and western regions of eastern Japan. The temperature is expected to rise above 35 degrees Celsius, prompting the issuance of ‘heatstroke alert’ in various prefectures, including Kyushu, Okinawa, and Tokyo. Please remember to stay hydrated and replenish your salt intake.

In other news, the Supreme Court of Japan will deliver its verdict today in five separate cases where individuals who were forcibly sterilized under the old Eugenic Protection Law are seeking compensation from the government. The court’s decision is expected to provide a unified judgment on the exclusion period, also known as the ‘time barrier’. This case is considered the largest violation of human rights since the end of World War II.

Moving on to international news, the U.S. military has resumed flights of the Osprey aircraft at Yokota Air Base. Flight operations were suspended after a crash off Yakushima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, in November last year.

In the realm of politics, amid concerns over election interference, Minister of Digital Affairs, Taro Kono, stated during a campaign speech in Tokyo, ‘We must not tolerate those who engage in activities that are close to election obstruction. We cannot allow such individuals to exist.’

And finally, a new series of banknotes will be issued today, the first in 20 years. The new banknotes will be handed over to various financial institutions by the Bank of Japan and will be available to the public at some institutions during the morning. And now for the weather. Today in Tokyo, the weather will be partly cloudy with a maximum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 24 degrees Celsius. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.