Kanji for "kin," meaning gold or money, chosen as best to characterize 2024

KYOTO, Japan, Dec. 12 Kyodo - Seihan Mori, chief Buddhist priest of Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto, writes the kanji character "kin," meaning gold or money, with a calligraphy brush on Dec. 12, 2024. The character was selected as the best single kanji to symbolize the national mood for the year as Japanese athletes had their second-best ever performance at the Olympics with 20 gold medals in Paris, while a money scandal rocked the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. (Kyodo)

Japan midfielder Nakata meets press

Japan midfielder Nakata meets press

MORI, Japan - Japan midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata speaks about the World Cup finals in Mori, Shizuoka Prefecture, on June 5, a day after Japan drew with Belgium 2-2 in a group H match at Saitama Stadium 2002.(World Cup 2002)

Japan defender Akita meets press

Japan defender Akita meets press

MORI, Japan - Japan defender Yutaka Akita speaks about the World Cup finals in Mori, Shizuoka Prefecture, on June 5, a day after Japan drew with Belgium 2-2 in a group H match at Saitama Stadium 2002.(World Cup 2002)

Troussier meets press

Troussier meets press

MORI, Japan - Philippe Troussier smiles at a dog wearing a Japan shirt after his press conference at Mori, Shizuoka Prefecture, the site of the Japan's World Cup base camp, on May 21. The nervous-looking Frenchman refused to answer questions from around 200 reporters, cleverly avoiding an interrogation over his somewhat surprising final 23-man squad selection.

Body identified as missing teacher

Body identified as missing teacher

NAGOYA, Japan - Policemen cordon off a section of the forests in Mori, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Nov. 15, 2002 after they found a body identified later as that of Masahiro Ishida, a 37-year-old information technology teacher, who had been missing sine getting embroiled in an extortion case in July.