Affable dolphins greet divers

Affable dolphins greet divers

TOKYO, Japan - Affable dolphins swim close to divers off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands, southeast of Tokyo. The area was opened to scuba divers in April this year. (7th in 7-photo series).

Large groups of strange coral found off Hahajima Island

Large groups of strange coral found off Hahajima Island

TOKYO, Japan - Large groups of peculiarly shaped coral, believed to be Pavona decussata (''shikorosango'' in Japanese), were found by divers at a depth of 15 meters in the sea off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands, southeast of Tokyo. (6th in 7-photo series).

Giant kingfish surprises divers

Giant kingfish surprises divers

TOKYO, Japan - A giant kingfish, or lowly travally, nearly 1 meter long, suddenly appears before divers 8 meters deep in the sea off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands, southeast of Tokyo. (5th in 7-photo series).

Large school of snappers off Ogasawara Islands

Large school of snappers off Ogasawara Islands

TOKYO, Japan - A large school of blue-and-yellow snappers swim in the 13-meter-deep sea off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands. (3rd in 7-photo series).

Anemone fish living in shade of rocks

Anemone fish living in shade of rocks

TOKYO, Japan - Anemone fish live in the shade of rocks in the sea off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands, about 1,000 kilometers southeast of Tokyo. Photo was taken in mid-July at a depth of 10 meters after the area was first opened to scuba divers in April. (2nd in 7-photo series).

'Unknown' sea off Ogasawara Islands now open to divers

'Unknown' sea off Ogasawara Islands now open to divers

TOKYO, Japan - The sea off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands, about 1,000 kilometers southeast of Tokyo, had been known as the ''unknown sea'' before it was opened to scuba divers in April. Photo shows divers around the huge deer-horn coral (L) and Porites coral (R) (''hamasango'' in Japanese) at a depth of 15 meters. The seven photos in this series were taken in mid-July by Kyodo News photojournalists. (1st in 7-photo series).

'Unknown' sea off Ogasawara Islands now open to divers

'Unknown' sea off Ogasawara Islands now open to divers

TOKYO, Japan - The sea off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands, about 1,000 kilometers southeast of Tokyo, had been known as the ''unknown sea'' before it was opened to scuba divers in April. Photo shows divers around the huge deer-horn coral (L) and Porites coral (R) (''hamasango'' in Japanese) at a depth of 15 meters. The seven photos in this series were taken in mid-July by Kyodo News photojournalists. (1st in 7-photo series).

Large school of snappers off Ogasawara Islands

Large school of snappers off Ogasawara Islands

Tokyo, Japan - A large school of blue-and-yellow snappers swim in the 13-meter-deep sea off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands. (3rd in 7-photo series).

Large groups of strange coral found off Hahajima Island

Large groups of strange coral found off Hahajima Island

TOKYO, Japan - Large groups of peculiarly shaped coral, believed to be Pavona decussata (''shikorosango'' in Japanese), were found by divers at a depth of 15 meters in the sea off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands, southeast of Tokyo. (6th in 7-photo series).

Green turtle swimming off Ogasawara Islands

Green turtle swimming off Ogasawara Islands

TOKYO, Japan - A green turtle glides through the coral rich sea off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands, about 1,000 kilometers southeast of Tokyo. (4th in 7-photo series).

Giant kingfish surprises divers

Giant kingfish surprises divers

TOKYO, Japan - A giant kingfish, or lowly travally, nearly 1 meter long, suddenly appears before divers 8 meters deep in the sea off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands, southeast of Tokyo. (5th in 7-photo series).

Anemone fish living in shade of rocks

Anemone fish living in shade of rocks

TOKYO, Japan - Anemone fish live in the shade of rocks in the sea off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands, about 1,000 kilometers southeast of Tokyo. Photo was taken in mid-July at a depth of 10 meters after the area was first opened to scuba divers in April. (2nd in 7-photo series).

Affable dolphins greet divers

Affable dolphins greet divers

TOKYO, Japan - Affable dolphins swim close to divers off Hahajima Island in the Ogasawara Islands, southeast of Tokyo. The area was opened to scuba divers in April this year. (7th in 7-photo series).