(2) Yoshii, Kobayashi 1st-time winners at sprint c'ships

(2) Yoshii, Kobayashi 1st-time winners at sprint c'ships

CHINO, Japan - Masaaki Kobayashi skates in the men's 1,000-meter race at the national sprint championships at Chino sports park skate center in Nagano Prefecture on Dec. 29. He won the overall title at the meet for the first time after finishing fourth in the second leg of the 500 and third in the 1,000. He earned 144.180 points for victory.

Kobayashi wins men's 500-meter at World Cup Speed Skating

Kobayashi wins men's 500-meter at World Cup Speed Skating

COLLALBO, Italy - Masaaki Kobayashi of Japan is flanked by Jeremy Wotherspoon of Canada (L) and Ryohei Shimizu of Japan on the podium after winning the men's 500-meter race division A at the World Cup Speed Skating competition in Collalbo, Italy, on Feb. 15. Wotherspoon came in second, followed by Shimizu.

3 businessmen suicide

3 businessmen suicide

Three Japanese business partners hanged themselves at a hotel in the city of Kunitachi, western Tokyo, on February 25, 1998, apparently because of business difficulties. Three men are identified as Mr. Masaaki Kobayashi, 51, president of an auto parts sales company, Mr. Masaru Sudo, 49, self-employed, and Mr. Yoshimi Shoji, 49, president of an auto parts sales comapny. (Photo: ""Le Piano"" where they died.)

(2) Yoshii, Kobayashi 1st-time winners at sprint c'ships

(2) Yoshii, Kobayashi 1st-time winners at sprint c'ships

CHINO, Japan - Masaaki Kobayashi skates in the men's 1,000-meter race at the national sprint championships at Chino sports park skate center in Nagano Prefecture on Dec. 29. He won the overall title at the meet for the first time after finishing fourth in the second leg of the 500 and third in the 1,000. He earned 144.180 points for victory. (Kyodo)

Kobayashi wins men's 500-meter at World Cup Speed Skating

Kobayashi wins men's 500-meter at World Cup Speed Skating

COLLALBO, Italy - Masaaki Kobayashi of Japan is flanked by Jeremy Wotherspoon of Canada (L) and Ryohei Shimizu of Japan on the podium after winning the men's 500-meter race division A at the World Cup Speed Skating competition in Collalbo, Italy, on Feb. 15. Wotherspoon came in second, followed by Shimizu. (Kyodo)