Watermelon fetches 200,000 yen

Watermelon fetches 200,000 yen

ASAHIKAWA, Japan - Masuichi Fukase holds a black-rind watermelon that he bid 200,000 yen for in the year's first auction on June 14, 2010, in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. Fukase, head of a seafood company in the nearby town of Toma, where the watermelon is a specialty product, said he paid the large sum to encourage other people in the town and will share the watermelon with his customers.

(1)Abduction investigation group releases list of 44 people

(1)Abduction investigation group releases list of 44 people

TOKYO, Japan - Photos of some of the 44 missing people disclosed Feb. 10 by the Investigation Commission on Missing Japanese Probably Related to North Korea (COMJAN), a group formed to look into cases of possible abductions of Japanese by North Korea. (From L to R, top) are Shinichi Mizushima, Katsumi Nakamura, Masuichi Sato, Hajime Sonoda, (from L to R, bottom) Shigeo Hirayama, Shuichi Nakajima, Yoshimasa Tsukagoshi and Yoshikazu Saida.

Watermelon fetches 200,000 yen

Watermelon fetches 200,000 yen

ASAHIKAWA, Japan - Masuichi Fukase holds a black-rind watermelon that he bid 200,000 yen for in the year's first auction on June 14, 2010, in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. Fukase, head of a seafood company in the nearby town of Toma, where the watermelon is a specialty product, said he paid the large sum to encourage other people in the town and will share the watermelon with his customers. (Kyodo)

(1)Abduction investigation group releases list of 44 people

(1)Abduction investigation group releases list of 44 people

TOKYO, Japan - Photos of some of the 44 missing people disclosed Feb. 10 by the Investigation Commission on Missing Japanese Probably Related to North Korea (COMJAN), a group formed to look into cases of possible abductions of Japanese by North Korea. (From L to R, top) are Shinichi Mizushima, Katsumi Nakamura, Masuichi Sato, Hajime Sonoda, (from L to R, bottom) Shigeo Hirayama, Shuichi Nakajima, Yoshimasa Tsukagoshi and Yoshikazu Saida. (Kyodo)