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Snowplow makes season's 1st appearance in Sapporo

SAPPORO, Japan - A snowplow for street car tracks finally makes its first appearance of the season on the streets of Sapporo on Dec. 18, 2009, in a record late start amid warm winter. The snowplow cleared snowfall of 8 centimeters on the streets using bamboo bundles that rotate at high speed.

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Clinton shows understanding on delay of Futemma decision: Hatoyama

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama speaks to reporters on Dec. 18, 2009, in Copenhagen, where he was attending a U.N. climate forum, about Japan's recent steps concerning the relocation of a U.S. military base in Okinawa Prefecture. He said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her understanding of Japan's move to delay a decision on the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station. (Pool photo by Kyodo News)

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26 nations reach last-ditch political accord at climate talks

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama speaks to reporters at a U.N. climate convention in Copenhagen on Dec. 18, 2009. The leaders of 26 major developed and developing nations struck a political accord at the 15th conference of parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change the same day. (Pool photo by Kyodo News)

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WBC bantamweight champ Hasegawa defends title for 10th time

KOBE, Japan - WBC bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa holds his children after defending his title for the 10th time at Kobe World Memorial Hall in Kobe on Dec. 18, 2009. Hasegawa stopped Nicaraguan challenger Alvaro Perez in the fourth round.

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WBC bantam champ Hasegawa defends 10th title

KOBE, Japan - WBC bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa (L) attacks Nicaraguan challenger Alvaro Perez in the third round of their title fight at Kobe World Memorial Hall in Kobe on Dec. 18, 2009. Hasegawa stopped Perez in the fourth round to defend his title for the 10th time.

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Okada to visit Russia from Dec. 27 for talks on territorial row

TOKYO, Japan - Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada speaks during a regular news conference at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on Dec. 18, 2009. Okada said he will make a two-day visit to Russia from Dec. 27 for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on a long-standing territorial dispute and other issues.

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Nursing students sing Christmas songs with robot Santa conducting

KYOTO, Japan - Nursing students sing Christmas songs under the baton of a robot Santa Claus to bring the Christmas spirit to patients at Japanese Red Cross Kyoto Daini Hospital in Kyoto City on Dec. 18, 2009. The robot is an MKR-300 transfer robot developed by Kyoto-based Murata Machinery Ltd.

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400 Christmas cards displayed at event in Sapporo

SAPPORO, Japan - A woman looks at colorful Christmas cards displayed at a Christmas event at Odori Park in Sapporo on Dec. 18, 2009. More than 400 different cards, the designs of which are submitted by the public, are sold at the event at 160 yen each.

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Tamura becomes 1st lawmaker to quit LDP since party lost power

TOKYO, Japan - House of Councillors member Kotaro Tamura speaks during a news conference on Dec. 18, 2009, at the Diet Members' Office Building of the upper house in Tokyo. Tamura quit the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party the same day, becoming the first lawmaker to do so since the party was defeated in August's general election after almost half a century in power.

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BOJ holds key rate at 0.1%, says won't tolerate deflation

TOKYO, Japan - Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa speaks during a news conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 18, 2009, after the BOJ decided to maintain its key interest rate at 0.1 percent at its two-day policy meeting that ended the same day. The BOJ reiterated its pledge to help the country move out of deflation by maintaining an easy monetary policy.

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BOJ holds key rate at 0.1%, says won't tolerate deflation

TOKYO, Japan - Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa speaks during a news conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on Dec. 18, 2009, after the BOJ decided to maintain its key interest rate at 0.1 percent at its two-day policy meeting that ended the same day. The BOJ reiterated its pledge to help the country move out of deflation by maintaining an easy monetary policy.

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Racing driver Katayama in Mt. Fuji accident

SHIZUOKA, Japan - Ukyo Katayama (C), a former Formula One racing driver, comes down from Mt. Fuji (behind) after being rescued following an accident Dec. 18, 2009. Katayama was climbing the country's highest mountain in a three-man party but the two others are feared dead.

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Racing driver Katayama in Mt. Fuji accident

SHIZUOKA, Japan - Ukyo Katayama (C), a former Formula One racing driver, comes down from Mt. Fuji (behind) after being rescued following an accident Dec. 18, 2009. Katayama was climbing the country's highest mountain in a three-man party but the two others are feared dead.

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Russia rocket ready for trip to ISS

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan - Russia's Soyuz rocket stands on the launcher at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Dec. 18, 2009. The Soyuz TMA is to leave for the International Space Station shortly.

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Racing driver Katayama in Mt. Fuji accident

SHIZUOKA, Japan - Ukyo Katayama, a former Formula One racing driver, is seen inside a vehicle in Shizuoka Prefecture after being rescued following an accident on Mt. Fuji on Dec. 18, 2009. Katayama was climbing the country's highest mountain in a three-man party but the two others are feared dead.

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Racing driver Katayama in Mt. Fuji accident

SHIZUOKA, Japan - Ukyo Katayama (L), a former Formula One racing driver, comes down from Mt. Fuji (behind) after being rescued following an accident Dec. 18, 2009. Katayama was climbing the country's highest mountain in a three-man party but the two others are feared dead.

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Hatoyama attends COP15 summit

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama (C) speaks to reporters in Copenhagen on Dec. 18, 2009, after attending a summit of the COP15 U.N. climate conference.

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Russia rocket ready for trip to ISS

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan - Russia's Soyuz rocket is moved to the launcher at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Dec. 18, 2009. The Soyuz TMA is to leave for the International Space Station shortly.

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Russia rocket ready for trip to ISS

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan - Russia's Soyuz rocket is moved to the launcher at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Dec. 18, 2009. The Soyuz TMA is to leave for the International Space Station shortly.

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Hatoyama attends COP15 summit

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is photographed in Copenhagen on Dec. 18, 2009, after attending a summit of the COP15 U.N. climate conference.

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Racing driver Katayama rescued from Mt. Fuji

GOTEMBA, Japan - Former Formula One racing driver Ukyo Katayama speaks to reporters in front of the Gotemba police station after being rescued from Mt. Fuji on Dec. 18, 2009. Katayama was rescued after seeking help for his party of three climbers but darkness forced police to suspend their search for the other two, who are feared dead.

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2,245 Chiba officials reprimanded over accounting irregularities

CHIBA, Japan - Chiba Gov. Kensaku Morita bows in apology during a news conference at the Chiba prefectural government office on Dec. 18, 2009, after the local government reprimanded 2,245 employees over massive accounting irregularities. The local government said it will make the employees repay about 900 million yen, adding that the total amount of irregularities currently stands at 3.28 billion yen after the government found an additional 300 million yen worth of false orders.

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Hatoyama attends COP15 summit

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is photographed in Copenhagen on Dec. 18, 2009, after attending a summit of the COP15 U.N. climate conference.

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Russia rocket ready for trip to ISS

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan - Russia's Soyuz rocket is moved to the launcher at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Dec. 18, 2009. The Soyuz TMA is to leave for the International Space Station shortly.

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Racing driver Katayama in Mt. Fuji accident

TOKYO, Japan - This undated photo shows Ukyo Katayama, a former Formula One racing driver, who was involved in an accident along with two others on Dec. 18, 2009, while climbing Mt. Fuji west of Tokyo.

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Roly-poly penguins on fitness walk at Japan zoo

ASAHIKAWA, Japan - Penguins entertain tourists at Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, on Dec. 18, 2009. The overweight penguins, the zoo says, went through a 500-meter-long snowy walkway for 30 minutes as the temperature dropped to minus 8C in the northernmost Japanese main island.

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Strong quakes jolts Japan's Izu

ITO, Japan - People look at broken glass scattered on the ground in Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Dec. 18, 2009, following a series of strong earthquakes that started to hit the area southwest of Tokyo the previous day.

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Autumn colors at Kyoto shrine

KYOTO, Japan - Maple leaves are seen to have turned red and yellow during a lightening test at the Kitano Temmangu shrine in Kyoto on Nov. 18, 2009. The shrine plans to show some 250 maple trees lit up at night in its premises mainly over weekends between Nov. 21 and Dec. 6.