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The rollout of an AI system designed to help child welfare centers identify abusive situations has been postponed due to concerns about its accuracy and reliability. The AI frequently missed significant signs of severe abuse during trials, prompting the Children and Families Agency to delay its introduction.

A robot copilot named Robohon is helping elderly drivers in Japan avoid traffic violations and accidents by providing real-time information about stop signs, speed limits, and other regulations. The project, led by Nagoya University and Sharp Corp., aims to commercialize a driving assistance system incorporating Robohon's capabilities by March 2027.

Despite government subsidies fueling a surge in industrial park development in Fukushima, the region faces a persistent challenge in attracting workers back to the area. While companies are setting up operations, most employees commute from nearby cities, highlighting the ongoing struggle to encourage residents to return to their hometowns and contribute to the region's long-term recovery.

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi to discuss concerns about sexual assaults by U.S. military personnel and the return of land from U.S. military control to Japan. Tamaki emphasized the burden Okinawa bears in hosting U.S. military facilities and called for more serious preventative measures against sexual violence.

Japan's Lower House passed the initial budget for fiscal 2025, marking the first time in 29 years that the Diet revised the initial budget bill and the first time in 70 years that the initial budget amount was reduced. The budget includes measures to provide free high school education and raise the minimum annual taxable income, but faces opposition from some parties over the high-cost medical expense cap and the "1.03-million-yen barrie...