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(2)Princess Masako to be hospitalized for delivery

TOKYO, Japan - The photo, taken Nov. 28, 2001, shows the Imperial Household Hospital. The arrow (L) indicates the room where Princess Masako, wife of Crown Prince Naruhito, will be hospitalized the night of Nov. 30 to give birth to her baby.

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Christmas tree lit in New York

NEW YORK, United States - The Christmas Tree at New York's Rockefeller Center shines to herald the holiday season Nov. 28, 2001. U.S. first lady Laura Bush and New York Mayor Rudolph Guiliani put on the switch to light the 25-meter-high tree decorated with 30,000 red, white and blue lamps.

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Fire destroys 10 shops in Osaka arcade

OSAKA, Japan - A midday fire rages at a shopping center in Daito, Osaka Prefecture, on Nov. 28, 2001. The fire, possibly triggered by a propane gas cylinder, destroyed about 10 shops but no one was reported injured.

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Heads of towns, villages oppose forced mergers

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi addresses a forum of village and town mayors from across Japan in Tokyo on Nov. 28, 2001. The mayors some 2,500 towns and villages voiced opposition to the government's policy of promoting mergers of local authorities.

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Judge sacked over juvenile prostitution

TOKYO, Japan - Yasuhiro Muraki, a Tokyo High Court judge convicted of paying for sex with teenagers, arrived at the Diet's Judges Impeachment Court on Nov. 28, 2001. ''We have no choice but to dismiss him in order to restore public trust in the judiciary,'' said court President Nobuyuki Hanashi in delivering a verdict.

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Matsusaka cow gets top prize amid mad cow scare

TSU, Japan - Dairy farmer Yukio Noguchi and his Yuki, a three-year-old cow which won this year's top Matsusaka prize, a stamp of approval by Japan's most prestigious brand of beef, poses for picture in Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture, on Nov. 28, 2001. Yuki won the prize at a fair in the prefecture known for its succulent beef, beating out 49 other chubby competitors.

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Tochiazuma celebrates promotion

FUKUOKA, Japan - Tochiazuma celebrates his promotion to ozeki with wrestlers of his Tamanoi stable in Sue, Fukuoaka Prefecture, on Nov. 28, 2001.

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Tochiazuma promoted to ozeki

FUKUOKA, Japan - Sekiwake Tochiazuma (C) accepts his promotion by the Japan Sumo Association to the rank of ozeki in Sue, Fukuoka Prefecture, on Nov. 28, 2001. The 25-year-old Tokyo native, who posted a 12-3 record as sekiwake and finished runner-up to yokozuna Musashimaru at the just-ended 15-day meet tournament in Fukuoka, became the first wrestler to reach sumo's second-highest rank since Kaio was promoted in July 2000.

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Afghans to appeal immigration decision

TOKYO, Japan - Three Afghan men, accompanied by their lawyer (R), meet members of the media in Tokyo on Nov. 28, 2001 after their applications for refugee status were turned down by the Japanese government's Immigration Bureau. The lawyer said the Afghans will appeal the decision.

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Employment office for young people opens in Tokyo

TOKYO, Japan - With Japan's jobless rate staying at a record high of 5.3%, a government-run employment office aimed especially at finding young people jobs opens in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on Nov. 28, 2001. The office, dubbed Young Hellowork Shibuya Shigoto-Kan, caters to people aged under 30 by offering diverse information including counseling and aptitude tests for jobs.

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Kobe fire bureau workers' kids make art to honor NY victims

KOBE, Japan - An exhibition of art work by children of employees of Kobe's fire department opens at the city's municipal office Nov. 28, 2001 in support of the bereaved families of New York firefighters lost following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Organizers said 142 children aged 2 to 16 have contributed 157 pieces to the exhibition which will run until Dec. 6.