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JR West runs 'Yokai Watch' train

OSAKA, Japan - West Japan Railway Co. (JR West) displays a train sporting the images of characters of "Yokai Watch," a huge-hit video game and animation for children, at a railroad yard in Osaka, western Japan, on Dec. 11, 2014. The special train is running from Dec. 13 through Feb. 1, 2015.

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JR West shows interior of 'Yokai Watch' train

OSAKA, Japan - West Japan Railway Co. (JR West) shows in Osaka, western Japan, on Dec. 11, 2014, the interior of a "Yokai Watch" train featuring the popular role-playing game. The special train is running from Dec. 13 through Feb. 1, 2015.

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People visit whisky distillery, inspired by TV drama

TOKYO, Japan - Visitors stroll through the grounds of Nikka Whisky Distilling Co.'s distillery in Yoichi on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido on Dec. 1, 2014. The distillery has seen an increase in visitor numbers due to public broadcaster NHK's television drama series featuring the life of Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka who is known as the father of Japan's whisky industry, and his Scottish wife Jessie Roberta Cowan.

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Trial planned to ship fresh fish with saltwater ice

TOKYO, Japan - A box of fish chilled by ice, made with seawater-like saltwater and in the consistency of snow to keep seafood fresh longer, is shown in Tokyo on Dec. 26, 2014, by supermarket chain Daiei Inc. ahead of the start of a trial from Jan. 1, 2015, using the method to transport fresh fish from Otaru on the northernmost main island of Hokkaido to one of its stores in Chiba Prefecture east of the Japanese capital.

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Shinkansen bullet train crew carries iPads

OSAKA, Japan - A Shinkansen bullet train crew carries iPad tablet computers along with a written operating manual and a collection of regulations (foreground) in Osaka on Dec. 25, 2014, in preparation for a West Japan Railway Co. rule taking effect on Jan. 1, 2015. The written documents are incorporated into iPads.

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Tourist attraction lights up to welcome Year of Sheep

CHIBA, Japan - Colorful illumination adorns a pasture at Mother Farm, a tourist attraction in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, on Dec. 17, 2014, under the theme "sheep carnival" to welcome the Year of the Sheep in 2015 according to the Chinese zodiac. The illumination event will run through Feb. 1, 2015.

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Bangladeshi lowland submerged by rising sea level

CHARIPARA, Bangladesh - A villager in Charipara, southern Bangladesh, points toward what used to be lowland that has turned into a river due to rising sea levels on Dec. 1, 2014. Experts estimate that about 17% of Bangladesh's lowland will be submerged by as early as 2070.

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Bangladeshi lowland submerged by rising sea level

CHARIPARA, Bangladesh - Fishermen from the village of Charipara, southern Bangladesh, sort their catch on Dec. 1, 2014, with the remains of an eroded dike damaged by rising sea levels in the background. Experts estimate that about 17% of Bangladesh's lowland will be submerged by as early as 2070.

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Bangladeshi lowland submerged by rising sea level

CHARIPARA, Bangladesh - Roots of coconut trees are seen exposed near the village of Charipara in southern Bangladesh on Dec. 1, 2014, due to erosion from floods caused by rising sea levels. Experts estimate that about 17% of Bangladesh's lowland will be submerged by as early as 2070.

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Bangladeshi lowland submerged by rising sea level

CHARIPARA, Bangladesh - Villagers in Charipara village, southern Bangladesh, tell on Dec. 1, 2014, of how they have been forced to move home due to rising sea levels. Experts estimate that about 17% of Bangladesh's lowland will be submerged by as early as 2070.

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Skater Hanyu wins top prize in Yahoo Search Awards

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu, who won the gold medal at the Sochi Winter Olympic Games, speaks in a video message as the winner of the top prize for the biggest overall increase in the number of searches on Yahoo Japan between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1, 2014, at the award ceremony in Tokyo on Dec. 8. Yahoo Japan Corp. handed out Yahoo Search Awards in the fields of people, culture and products.

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Nihon Elekiteru Rengo wins prize in Yahoo Search Awards

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese comedian duo Nihon Elekiteru Rengo poses after winning an award for the biggest increase in the number of search on Yahoo Japan between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1, 2014, at the award ceremony in Tokyo on Dec. 8. Yahoo Japan Corp. handed out Yahoo Search Awards in the fields of people, culture and products.

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U.S. 100th Infantry Battalion veterans recall WWII

LOS ANGELES, United States - Masao Takahashi (L) and James Ogawa, who fought in World War II as members of the U.S. 100th Infantry Battalion comprised almost exclusively of Japanese Americans, share their memories in Torrance, California, on Dec. 1, 2014. Americans of Japanese ancestry had no other choice but to fight to prove their loyalty to the United States, said Takahashi.

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Hong Kong protest supporter suggests strategy change

HONG KONG, China - Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong media magnate and major supporter of pro-democracy protests, suggests a change of strategy for the movement is needed during an interview with Kyodo News in Hong Kong on Dec. 1, 2014.

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New Hawaii governor welcomed by Okinawa dance

HONOLULU, United States - Newly elected Hawaii Gov. David Ige (C) and his wife Dawn are welcomed by Okinawa's traditional "shisa" (lion-dog) dance at the state government building in Honolulu on Dec. 1, 2014. The paternal grandparents of the U.S. state's second Japanese-American governor migrated to the island state from the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa.

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New Hawaii Gov. Ige takes office

HONOLULU, United States - Newly elected Hawaii Gov. David Ige (R) acknowledges cheers from his supporters together with his wife Dawn at the state government building in Honolulu after taking office on Dec. 1, 2014.

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Princess Aiko turns 13

TOKYO, Japan - Princess Aiko, the only child of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, arrives at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 1, 2014, to meet with her grandparents, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, on the occasion of her 13th birthday. It marked the first visit to the palace by the princess, a first-year student at Gakushuin Girls' Junior High School, without being accompanied by her parents. (Pool photo)

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Moody's cuts rating on Japan sovereign debt by 1 notch

TOKYO, Japan - Thomas Byrne, a senior vice president of Moody's Investors Service Inc., holds a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 1, 2014, after the U.S. rating agency revised downward its credit rating on Japanese sovereign bonds by one notch to A1 from Aa3 with stable outlook, citing uncertainty over the nation's ability to restore its fiscal health.

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Pro-democracy protests in H.K.

HONG KONG, China - Police officers remove pro-democracy protesters from a main road near the government headquarters in Hong Kong's Admiralty district before dawn on Dec. 1, 2014.

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Pro-democracy protests in H.K.

HONG KONG, China - Police officers remove pro-democracy protesters from a main road near the government headquarters in Hong Kong's Admiralty district before dawn on Dec. 1, 2014.

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LED lighting marks 100th anniversary of Tokyo Station

TOKYO, Japan - People walk along a pedestrian deck at the Yaesu exit of JR Tokyo Station in the Japanese capital as illuminations commemorating the 100th anniversary of the station's opening start on Dec. 1, 2014. The attraction, consisting of some 3,000 column-shaped light-emitting diodes, will run through Feb. 14, 2015.

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Pro-democracy protests in H.K.

HONG KONG, China - Pro-democracy protesters set up a barricade on an escalator leading to the government headquarters in Hong Kong's Admiralty district on Dec. 1, 2014.

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"Dameyo, Dame Dame" among top winners of 2014 buzzword award

TOKYO, Japan - The Japanese female comic duo "Nippon Erekiteru Rengo" attend the award ceremony in Tokyo's Marunouchi area on Dec. 1, 2014, after "Dameyo, Dame Dame" (No you must not, no no), their signature phrase, has been selected as one of the top two buzzwords or phrases in Japan in 2014.

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Pro-democracy protests in H.K.

HONG KONG, China - Pro-democracy protesters gather on a main road in Hong Kong's Admiralty district on Dec. 1, 2014.

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LED lighting marks 100th anniversary of Tokyo Station

TOKYO, Japan - Illuminations along a pedestrian deck at the Yaesu exit of JR Tokyo Station in the Japanese capital start on Dec. 1, 2014, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the station's opening. The attraction, consisting of some 3,000 column-shaped light-emitting diodes, will run through Feb. 14, 2015.

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U.S. Marine Corps officer opens joint drill with JGSFD

YAMATO, Japan - Major Roy Draa (L) of the U.S. Marine Corps addresses an opening ceremony for a 12-day joint drill with the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force at the JGSDF's maneuver area in Yamato, Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Dec. 1, 2014, as Colonel Hiroji Yamashita of the Japanese force looks on.

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Test run for new bullet train service in Hokkaido starts

HAKODATE, Japan - An "H5 series" bullet train runs in Nanae in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido on Dec. 1, 2014, for a test ahead of the spring 2016 launch of the Hokkaido Shinkansen, which seeks to connect southern Hokkaido and Tokyo in about 4 hours and 10 minutes.

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JGSFD, U.S. Marine Corps launch joint drill in Japan

YAMATO, Japan - Members of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (front) and of the U.S. Marine Corps attend an opening ceremony for their 12-day joint drill at the JGSDF's maneuver area in Yamato, Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Dec. 1, 2014.

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Japan business lobby head meets with S. Korean pres.

SEOUL, South Korea - Japan Business Federation Chairman Sadayuki Sakakibara (R) shakes hands with South Korean President Park Geun Hye ahead of their talks at the presidential office in Seoul on Dec. 1, 2014. (Pool photo)

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Test run for new bullet train service in Hokkaido starts

HAKODATE, Japan - An "H5 series" bullet train runs in Nanae in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido on Dec. 1, 2014, for a test ahead of the spring 2016 launch of the Hokkaido Shinkansen, which seeks to connect southern Hokkaido and Tokyo in about 4 hours and 10 minutes.

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Abe, Kaieda in debate session

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) and Banri Kaieda, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, are seen during a debate session at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo on Dec. 1, 2014. Leaders of Japan's eight political parties, including Abe and Kaieda, attended the session prior to the Dec. 14 general election.

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Hanyu to prepare for GP Final in Japan: Orser

TOKYO, Japan - Brian Orser, the coach of Olympic and world figure skating champion Yuzuru Hanyu, speaks at a press conference at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo on Dec. 1, 2014. Orser said Hanyu will train in Japan for the Grand Prix Final to be held Dec. 11-13 in Barcelona although he will return to Canada -- Hanyu's regular training base -- for other commitments.

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Japan business lobby head meets with S. Korean pres.

SEOUL, South Korea - Japan Business Federation Chairman Sadayuki Sakakibara answers reporters' questions at a hotel in Seoul on Dec. 1, 2014, after holding talks with South Korean President Park Geun Hye.

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Bone broth from cultured tuna used for cup noodle

TOKYO, Japan - Acecook Co. and Kinki University announce on Dec. 1, 2014, the limited sale of 1.5 million cups of instant noodles featuring broth made from the backbones of farm-raised "Kindai tuna," the university brand of bluefin tuna bred in a complete cycle of culture ranging from eggs to adult tuna.

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32 women file damages suit over Kanebo's skin-whitening cosmetics

KYOTO, Japan - A woman (front) in her 50s holds a press conference in Kyoto on Dec. 1, 2014, after filing a damages suit against Kanebo Cosmetics Inc. with the Kyoto District Court. She is among 32 women in Japan who filed suits with district courts in Chiba, Nagoya and Kyoto the same day, seeking about 310 million yen in damages from Kanebo, saying their skin developed white blotches after using the company's skin-whitening products.

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Capybaras enjoy hot bath in Tottori Pref.

YONAGO, Japan - A pair of capybaras warms themselves in a hot bath, brought from a nearby hot spring facility, at Daisen Tom-Sawyer Pasture in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, western Japan, on Dec. 1, 2014.

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Special economic advisor to PM Abe speaks in Tokyo

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Hamada, a special economic adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on economic affairs and professor emeritus at Yale University, speaks at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo on Dec. 1, 2014. He expressed his idea of lowering Japan's effective corporate tax rate to around 25% from the current rate of around 35%.

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Passengers warm up on Tsugaru stove train

AOMORI, Japan - Passengers warm themselves by a stove on the so-called "stove train" of Tsugaru Railway Co. in Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan, on Dec. 1, 2014, the first day of this season's operation.

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Children wave at 'Yokai Watch' train in Fukuoka

FUKUOKA, Japan - Children wave at Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co.'s train sporting images of characters of "Yokai Watch," a huge-hit game and animation for children, at Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, on Dec. 1, 2014.

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Test run for new bullet train service in Hokkaido starts

HAKODATE, Japan - An "H5 series" bullet train leaves a depot in Nanae, in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, on Dec. 1, 2014, for a test run. The trial run is being conducted ahead of the spring 2016 launch of the Hokkaido Shinkansen, which seeks to connect southern Hokkaido and Tokyo in about 4 hours and 10 minutes.

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Emperor, empress attend biology award ceremony

TOKYO, Japan - Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attend the International Prize for Biology award ceremony at the Japan Academy's assembly hall in Tokyo on Dec. 1, 2014. On the far left is this year's prize winner, Yale University professor Peter Crane.

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Coal on fire on 'Stove train'

AOMORI, Japan - A conductor on the "stove train" puts coal in a stove in Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture, the northernmost prefecture on Honshu, on Dec. 1, 2014. The Tsugaru Railway Co.'s popular train operates from Dec. 1, 2014, to March 31, 2015.

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'Yokai Watch' train starts running in Fukuoka

FUKUOKA, Japan - Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co.'s train featuring images of characters of "Yokai Watch," a popular game animation for children, leaves Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, on Dec. 1, 2014. The train continues running until April 2015.

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Softbank's 'Pepper' robot sells Nestle coffee machine

TOKYO, Japan - Nestle Japan Ltd. holds an event at which Softbank Corp.'s robot "Pepper" sells Nestle's coffee machines for households at Bic Camera consumer electronics retailer in Tokyo's Yurakucho district on Dec. 1, 2014. TV announcer Kyoko Uchida also took part in the event.

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H.K. protesters block government headquarters

HONG KONG, China - Pro-democracy demonstrators install barricades blocking an escalator leading to the government headquarters at the Admiralty occupation site in Hong Kong, China, on Dec. 1, 2014. They clashed with police, resulting in the arrests of 40 people.

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Kids play in nursery room opened at health ministry

TOKYO, Japan - Small children play in a nursery room opened at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Tokyo on Dec. 1, 2014. It is the third nursery opened at Japanese ministries.

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'Stove train' starts running in Aomori Pref.

AOMORI, Japan - Tsugaru Railway Co.'s "stove train," equipped with coal stoves, stops at a station in Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture, the northernmost prefecture on the Honshu main island, on Dec. 1, 2014. The popular train operates from Dec. 1, 2014, to March 31, 2015.

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Dollar tops 119 yen line in Tokyo

TOKYO, Japan - A monitor board shows the U.S. dollar topping the 119 yen line on Dec. 1, 2014, in Tokyo for the first time since August 2007. The dollar's rise boosted export-oriented share prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

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Japan, S. Korea business leaders meet in Seoul

SEOUL, South Korea - Members of the Japan Business Federation and the Federation of Korean Industries hold a meeting for the first time in seven years in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 1, 2014. Japanese delegates, including Chairman Sadayuki Sakakibara (2nd from L on the front row), are also scheduled to meet with South Korean President Park Geun Hye later in the day.

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Japan, S. Korea top business lobbies meet in Seoul

SEOUL, South Korea - Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) Chairman Sadayuki Sakakibara (L) and Federation of Korean Industries Chairman Huh Chang Soo attend the top business lobbies' first meeting in seven years on Dec. 1, 2014, in Seoul, South Korea, to exchange views on a range of economic issues.