Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Former Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto smiles with a bouquet after announcing his retirement at a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 4, 2024. The 45-year-old played for Japan in three consecutive football World Cups, starting with the 2002 tournament co-hosted by Japan and South Korea when he scored two goals.

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Former Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto announces his retirement at a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 4, 2024. The 45-year-old played for Japan in three consecutive football World Cups, starting with the 2002 tournament co-hosted by Japan and South Korea when he scored two goals.

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Former Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto announces his retirement at a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 4, 2024. The 45-year-old played for Japan in three consecutive football World Cups, starting with the 2002 tournament co-hosted by Japan and South Korea when he scored two goals.

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Former Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto announces his retirement at a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 4, 2024. The 45-year-old played for Japan in three consecutive football World Cups, starting with the 2002 tournament co-hosted by Japan and South Korea when he scored two goals.

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Former Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto announces his retirement at a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 4, 2024. The 45-year-old played for Japan in three consecutive football World Cups, starting with the 2002 tournament co-hosted by Japan and South Korea when he scored two goals.

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Former Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto announces his retirement at a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 4, 2024. The 45-year-old played for Japan in three consecutive football World Cups, starting with the 2002 tournament co-hosted by Japan and South Korea when he scored two goals.

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Football: Former Japan Inamoto retires at 45

Former Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto announces his retirement at a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 4, 2024. The 45-year-old played for Japan in three consecutive football World Cups, starting with the 2002 tournament co-hosted by Japan and South Korea when he scored two goals.

Tokyo's Nikkei closes above 9,000

Tokyo's Nikkei closes above 9,000

TOKYO, Japan - A price board at a Tokyo brokerage house shows the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average closed at 9,033.00 on June 17, soaring above 9,000 for first time since Dec. 4, 2002. Stock prices rebounded on buying spurred by sharp rises in U.S. shares overnight.

(2)Japan to send Aegis ship to Indian Ocean

(2)Japan to send Aegis ship to Indian Ocean

TOKYO, Japan - Photo taken off Hawaii on June 30, 2002 shows the Kirishima, one of Japan's Aegis-equipped high-tech destroyers engaged in joint Japan-U.S. drills. The Kirishima is based in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo. Japan decided Dec. 4 to send one of its Aegis vessels to the Indian Ocean later December to step up logistical support for the U.S.-led antiterrorism operation.

Nobel laureate Tanaka leaves Kyoto for ceremony in Stockholm

Nobel laureate Tanaka leaves Kyoto for ceremony in Stockholm

KYOTO, Japan - Koichi Tanaka, co-winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and his wife Yuko arrive at JR Kyoto Station on Dec. 4 in preparation for his trip to attend the Nobel awards ceremony in Stockholm.

Hagoita reflect 2002

Hagoita reflect 2002

TOKYO, Japan - A Tokyo dollmaker began its annual display Dec. 4 of specially crafted Hagoita, or battledores, featuring world images from 2002. Newly designed Hagoita depict Nobel prize laureates Koichi Tanaka and Masatoshi Koshiba (L), Japanese maestro Seiji Ozawa, who became musical director of the Vienna State Opera in September (R) and free agent Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui who seeks to play in the major leagues next season.

Cabinet endorses FY 2002 budget framework

Cabinet endorses FY 2002 budget framework

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi speaks to members of the media after his cabinet endorsed a budget framework for fiscal 2002 adopted by a government panel on economic and fiscal policy Dec. 4, 2001. ''The fiscal 2002 budget is aimed at thoroughly reviewing the spending structure and boldly improving the quality under the goal of limiting the new bond issuance to 30 trillion yen,'' Koizumi said.

Official World Cup goods displayed at Tokyo hotel

Official World Cup goods displayed at Tokyo hotel

TOKYO, Japan - Cheer robots are among the officially licensed World Cup goods displayed in an exhibition at a Tokyo hotel Dec. 4. The exhibition features some 8,000 official items, including T-shirts and neckties, from 75 domestic companies for the 2002 soccer event to be co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.

EUROPE-EURO-CURRENCY-20TH ANNIVERSARY

EUROPE-EURO-CURRENCY-20TH ANNIVERSARY

(211231) -- BRUSSELS, Dec. 31, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Combo photo shows the Colosseum in Rome, Italy on Aug. 4, 2021 (up), the front side of 5-cent coin in Rome, Italy on Dec. 30, 2021 (L, down) and the Colosseo pattern on the back of the 5-cent coin in Rome, Italy on Dec. 30, 2021. Euro banknotes and coins were physically introduced into eurozone countries in circulation on Jan. 1, 2002. The upcoming new year 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the circulation of Euro. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni)

EUROPE-EURO-CURRENCY-20TH ANNIVERSARY

EUROPE-EURO-CURRENCY-20TH ANNIVERSARY

(211231) -- BRUSSELS, Dec. 31, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Combo photo shows the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, on Aug. 4, 2021 (up) and the Colosseo pattern on the back of the 5-cent coin in Rome, Italy, on Dec. 30, 2021. Euro banknotes and coins were physically introduced into eurozone countries in circulation on Jan. 1, 2002. The upcoming new year 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the circulation of Euro. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni)

20th anniversary of cave-in at western Japan beach

20th anniversary of cave-in at western Japan beach

Fusaho Izumi, mayor of Akashi, western Japan, lays a bouquet of flowers at the scene of a cave-in at a beach in the city in Hyogo Prefecture on Dec. 30, 2021, where a 4-year-old girl was buried alive 20 years ago. She later died of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in May 2002 at age 5.

20th anniversary of cave-in at western Japan beach

20th anniversary of cave-in at western Japan beach

Fusaho Izumi (3rd from L), mayor of Akashi, western Japan, prays at the scene of a cave-in at a beach in the city in Hyogo Prefecture on Dec. 30, 2021, where a 4-year-old girl was buried alive 20 years ago. She later died of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in May 2002 at age 5.

20th anniversary of cave-in at western Japan beach

20th anniversary of cave-in at western Japan beach

Fusaho Izumi, mayor of Akashi, western Japan, prays at the scene of a cave-in at a beach in the city in Hyogo Prefecture on Dec. 30, 2021, where a 4-year-old girl was buried alive 20 years ago. She later died of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in May 2002 at age 5.

Cabinet endorses FY 2002 budget framework

Cabinet endorses FY 2002 budget framework

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi speaks to members of the media after his cabinet endorsed a budget framework for fiscal 2002 adopted by a government panel on economic and fiscal policy Dec. 4, 2001. ''The fiscal 2002 budget is aimed at thoroughly reviewing the spending structure and boldly improving the quality under the goal of limiting the new bond issuance to 30 trillion yen,'' Koizumi said.

Official World Cup goods displayed at Tokyo hotel

Official World Cup goods displayed at Tokyo hotel

TOKYO, Japan - Cheer robots are among the officially licensed World Cup goods displayed in an exhibition at a Tokyo hotel Dec. 4. The exhibition features some 8,000 official items, including T-shirts and neckties, from 75 domestic companies for the 2002 soccer event to be co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.

Sanyo, Eastman Kodak to make new flat-panel display

Sanyo, Eastman Kodak to make new flat-panel display

OSAKA, Japan - Handout photo shows a full-color organic electroluminescent (EL) panel display for use in electronic devices which Sanyo Electric Co. and Eastman Kodak Co. of the United States plan to begin producing in a joint venture in Japan in early 2002. Sanyo officials said Dec. 4, 2001 the company plans to use the panels initially for its mobile phones capable of displaying moving pictures.

Tokyo's Nikkei closes above 9,000

Tokyo's Nikkei closes above 9,000

TOKYO, Japan - A price board at a Tokyo brokerage house shows the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average closed at 9,033.00 on June 17, soaring above 9,000 for first time since Dec. 4, 2002. Stock prices rebounded on buying spurred by sharp rises in U.S. shares overnight. (Kyodo)

Nobel laureate Tanaka leaves Kyoto for ceremony in Stockholm

Nobel laureate Tanaka leaves Kyoto for ceremony in Stockholm

KYOTO, Japan - Koichi Tanaka, co-winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and his wife Yuko arrive at JR Kyoto Station on Dec. 4 in preparation for his trip to attend the Nobel awards ceremony in Stockholm. (Kyodo)

Kawasaki doctor arrested for allegedly killing patient in coma

Kawasaki doctor arrested for allegedly killing patient in coma

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Photo taken in Yokohama on April 23, 2002 shows Setsuko Suda who was arrested Dec. 4 on suspicion of killing a man in a coma with a lethal injection of muscle relaxant in 1998. (Kyodo)

Hagoita reflect 2002

Hagoita reflect 2002

TOKYO, Japan - A Tokyo dollmaker began its annual display Dec. 4 of specially crafted Hagoita, or battledores, featuring world images from 2002. Newly designed Hagoita depict Nobel prize laureates Koichi Tanaka and Masatoshi Koshiba (L), Japanese maestro Seiji Ozawa, who became musical director of the Vienna State Opera in September (R) and free agent Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui who seeks to play in the major leagues next season. (Kyodo)

(2)Japan to send Aegis ship to Indian Ocean

(2)Japan to send Aegis ship to Indian Ocean

TOKYO, Japan - Photo taken off Hawaii on June 30, 2002 shows the Kirishima, one of Japan's Aegis-equipped high-tech destroyers engaged in joint Japan-U.S. drills. The Kirishima is based in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo. Japan decided Dec. 4 to send one of its Aegis vessels to the Indian Ocean later December to step up logistical support for the U.S.-led antiterrorism operation. (Kyodo)