Local fire corps played an active role in rescues and evacuations during the Noto Peninsula earthquake this past January, and their efforts were a reminder of the important role they play in Japanese society. But there is currently a shortage of members nationwide. Follow along as we listen to the story, spotlight the city of Yokohama's efforts to welcome international residents into their fire corps, and learn the difference between "tetsudau" (to help out) and "tasukeru" (to rescue).

In January, Japan successfully landed an unmanned space probe on the moon. Japan's space agency JAXA said that SLIM touched down 55 meters east of the target site, achieving the world's first high-precision landing with a margin of error of less than 100 meters. We listen to the story in Japanese, learn about words such as "inai" (within) that describe a range of values, and spotlight a small robot co-developed with industry and academia that succeeded in photographing the lander on the moon.

On March 16, the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line will start operating between Kanazawa Station in Ishikawa Prefecture and Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture. A public preview event was held in early February ahead of the official opening, and 2,000 participants were selected randomly from about 150,000 applicants to take a test ride. We listen to the news story, spotlight visitor attractions in Fukui Prefecture, and study expressions related to riding the Shinkansen and other trains.

Japan plans to widen access to day cares to all children, regardless of whether their parents or guardians work or not. Starting FY 2024, the government will conduct a trial in around 150 municipalities across the country. The new system will allow children from 6 months of age up through 2 years old to be placed in day care for up to 10 hours a month. Later on in the program, we talk about applying to day care and introduce some unfamiliar terms you may come across in a child care context.

Following the recent Noto Peninsula earthquake, researchers conducted a survey of the peninsula's coastline. In hard-hit Wajima City, they found that a breakwater had been pushed up by about 4 meters. The Noto Peninsula is believed to have been formed by ground upheavals caused by earthquakes. But an expert points out that upheavals on the scale of 4 meters only occur once every several thousand years.

On December 2, an event was held to celebrate 100 years since the birth of the ever-faithful Hachiko. About 40 Akitas and their owners gathered from around the country and set out for a commemorative walk around Shibuya. Join us as we listen to the story in Japanese, review key expressions including "nakunaru" (to pass away), and spotlight the Akita dog, which in recent years has become popular overseas.

This time we feature a news story about the climate conference COP28 in Dubai, where countries showcased their decarbonization efforts. 14 Japanese firms participated and exhibited their latest tech. Later on, we spotlight one of those technologies: a next-generation solar cell based on a class of materials called perovskites, which can convert sunlight into electricity. We also learn about the Japanese word "kaihatsu" (development).