Special train marking 90th anniv. of founding of Tigers

Special train marking 90th anniv. of founding of Tigers

A special train featuring former and current Hanshin Tigers players is unveiled to the media at a Hanshin Electric Railway Co. station near Koshien Stadium, the Central League baseball club's home ballpark in the western Japan city of Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, on March 5, 2025. The six-car train will operate until mid-December to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Tigers. ==Kyodo

Japan: Annual Geminid Meteor Shower Reaches Its Peak 5

The Geminid meteor shower peaks annually around mid-December, and this year, the best viewing time is expected to be around Friday, December 13.

Japan: Annual Geminid Meteor Shower Reaches Its Peak 2

The Geminid meteor shower peaks annually around mid-December, and this year, the best viewing time is expected to be around Friday, December 13.

Japan: Annual Geminid Meteor Shower Reaches Its Peak 3

The Geminid meteor shower peaks annually around mid-December, and this year, the best viewing time is expected to be around Friday, December 13.

Japan: Annual Geminid Meteor Shower Reaches Its Peak 4

The Geminid meteor shower peaks annually around mid-December, and this year, the best viewing time is expected to be around Friday, December 13.

Japan: Annual Geminid Meteor Shower Reaches Its Peak

The Geminid meteor shower peaks annually around mid-December, and this year, the best viewing time is expected to be around Friday, December 13.

Harvesters made in China's Xinjiang gain popularity in cotton-growing countries

STORY: Harvesters made in China's Xinjiang gain popularity in cotton-growing countries SHOOTING TIME: April 24, 2024 DATELINE: April 29, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:38 LOCATION: URUMQI, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of an agricultural machinery manufacturing company in Wusu City 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): HUANG XINCHENG, Official of an agricultural machinery manufacturing company in Wusu City 3. various of an agricultural machinery manufacturing company in Wusu City STORYLINE: Cotton harvesting machines produced in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have gained popularity in some countries. With the spring farming season underway in cotton-growing areas, a leading agricultural machinery manufacturing company in Wusu City has also entered its peak production period. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): HUANG XINCHENG, Official of an agricultural machinery manufacturing company in Wusu City "Cotton harvesting machines are used from late September to mid-December. Starting in March, we hit the peak seaso

Egyptian Navy receives German-made MEKO-A200 frigate

STORY: Egyptian Navy receives German-made MEKO-A200 frigate SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 31, 2023 DATELINE: Jan. 1, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:31 LOCATION: Cairo CATEGORY: MILITARY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Egypt's Alexandria 2. various of a frigate arriving in Alexandria STORYLINE: The Egyptian naval forces received on Sunday a new German-made MEKO-A200 frigate at a base in the coastal province of Alexandria, the Egyptian military said in a statement. Built by Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), the frigate delivery procedures were already completed in Bremerhaven, Germany, in mid-December before the warship headed to Egypt. Named "Al-Qadeer," the new frigate is the third MEKO-A200 warship to be delivered to Egypt out of four frigates contracted between Egypt and TKMS in 2018. The Egyptian Navy received the first frigate, "Al-Aziz," in October 2022 and the second, "Al-Qahhar," in May 2023. The Egyptian military spokesman, Gharib Abdel-Hafez, said in the statement that the "Al-Qadeer" frigate will incre

Afghans struggle to keep houses warm in winter amid poverty, sanctions

STORY: Afghans struggle to keep houses warm in winter amid poverty, sanctions SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 14, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 19, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:01 LOCATION: Kabul CATEGORY: ECONOMY/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of a firewood shop in Kabul, Afghanistan 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Dari): ABDULLAH, Resident in Kabul 3. various of a firewood shop in Kabul, Afghanistan 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Pashto): HAJJI JUMA GUL, Wood seller in Kabul 5. various of a firewood shop in Kabul, Afghanistan 6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Dari): KHALIL, Three-wheel vehicle driver 7. various of a firewood shop in Kabul, Afghanistan STORYLINE: As the chilly winter is approaching in war-ravaged and mountainous Afghanistan, Abdullah, a resident in the national capital Kabul, is bargaining with a wood seller to buy firewood at a low price in order to keep his home warm in the harsh winter. Although the weather in Kabul and many other parts of Afghanistan is already cold, and some mountains have been covered with snow, the winter season usually begins in mid-December in

Nigerian gov't vows to address shortage of new Naira notes

STORY: Nigerian gov't vows to address shortage of new Naira notes DATELINE: Feb. 4, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:14 LOCATION: Abuja CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Nigeria's central bank 2. various of the new Naira notes 3. various of the press conference 4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ZAINAB AHMED, Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning 5. various of Nigerians on queues at bank ATMs 6. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ZAINAB AHMED, Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning 7. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ZAINAB AHMED, Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning STORYLINE: The Nigerian government is working to address the difficulties citizens have been facing in getting the new Naira notes since the beginning of their circulation in mid-December 2022, said Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday. Ahmed said the ongoing new banknotes shortage in the country is "a source of worry." SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ZAINAB AHMED, Minister of

Scholar speaks highly of China's contribution in global fight against COVID-19

STORY: Scholar speaks positively of China's contribution in global fight against COVID-19 DATELINE: Jan. 9, 2023 LENGTH: 0:02:27 LOCATION: Nairobi CATEGORY: HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. various of China providing medical aid and vaccines to other countries 2. SOUNDBITE (English): CAVINCE ADHERE, Kenya-based international relations scholar STORYLINE: A Kenya-based scholar has spoken highly of China' role in strengthening global defenses against the COVID-19 pandemic. By mid-December 2022, China had provided anti-epidemic materials to 153 countries and 15 international organizations, sent medical expert groups to 34 countries, shared epidemic response knowledge with more than 180 countries and international organizations, and offered over 2.2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations. SOUNDBITE (English): CAVINCE ADHERE, Kenya-based international relations scholar "I think places like Africa has greatly benefited from the generosity and pragmatic approach of China

Xinhua Headlines: Top 10 China news stories of 2022

Xinhua Headlines: Top 10 China news stories of 2022

(221229) -- BEIJING, Dec. 29, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Workers assemble vehicles in a smart factory of the Changan Auto in Chongqing, southwest China, June 16, 2022. Top 10 China news stories of 2022 9. China makes economic stability a top priority and pursues steady progress China maintained overall economic and social stability in 2022. Its gross domestic product grew 3 percent year on year in the first three quarters, and the economic aggregate for the whole year is expected to exceed 120 trillion yuan (about 17 trillion U.S. dollars). At the annual Central Economic Work Conference held in mid-December, the country highlighted pursuing steady progress while ensuring economic stability, pledging moves to achieve an overall improvement in its economic performance next year. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

ETHIOPIA-ADDIS ABABA-CHINA-AFRICA CDC HEADQUARTERS-CONSTRUCTION

ETHIOPIA-ADDIS ABABA-CHINA-AFRICA CDC HEADQUARTERS-CONSTRUCTION

(221228) -- ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 28, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on Dec. 23, 2022 shows the headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) under construction in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In the southern suburb of Addis Ababa, the mid-December scorching sun did not affect the highly driven Chinese and African engineers who were battling against clock toward the timely completion of the China-aided future headquarters of Africa CDC. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) TO GO WITH Yearender-Feature: Chinese-aided Africa CDC headquarters project approaches completion

ETHIOPIA-ADDIS ABABA-CHINA-AFRICA CDC HEADQUARTERS-CONSTRUCTION

ETHIOPIA-ADDIS ABABA-CHINA-AFRICA CDC HEADQUARTERS-CONSTRUCTION

(221228) -- ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 28, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on Dec. 23, 2022 shows the headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) under construction in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In the southern suburb of Addis Ababa, the mid-December scorching sun did not affect the highly driven Chinese and African engineers who were battling against clock toward the timely completion of the China-aided future headquarters of Africa CDC. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) TO GO WITH Yearender-Feature: Chinese-aided Africa CDC headquarters project approaches completion

ETHIOPIA-ADDIS ABABA-CHINA-AFRICA CDC HEADQUARTERS-CONSTRUCTION

ETHIOPIA-ADDIS ABABA-CHINA-AFRICA CDC HEADQUARTERS-CONSTRUCTION

(221228) -- ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 28, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Workers are seen at the construction site of the headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Dec. 23, 2022. In the southern suburb of Addis Ababa, the mid-December scorching sun did not affect the highly driven Chinese and African engineers who were battling against clock toward the timely completion of the China-aided future headquarters of Africa CDC. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) TO GO WITH Yearender-Feature: Chinese-aided Africa CDC headquarters project approaches completion

ETHIOPIA-ADDIS ABABA-CHINA-AFRICA CDC HEADQUARTERS-CONSTRUCTION

ETHIOPIA-ADDIS ABABA-CHINA-AFRICA CDC HEADQUARTERS-CONSTRUCTION

(221228) -- ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 28, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Workers are seen at the construction site of the headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Dec. 23, 2022. In the southern suburb of Addis Ababa, the mid-December scorching sun did not affect the highly driven Chinese and African engineers who were battling against clock toward the timely completion of the China-aided future headquarters of Africa CDC. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) TO GO WITH Yearender-Feature: Chinese-aided Africa CDC headquarters project approaches completion

Mexican economist on spillover effect of U.S. interest rate hikes

STORY: Mexican economist on spillover effect of U.S. interest rate hikes DATELINE: Dec. 25, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:24 LOCATION: Mexico City CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Mexico 2. various of the U.S. 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Spanish): MARIO CORREA, Mexican economist 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Spanish): MARIO CORREA, Mexican economist STORYLINE: A Mexican economist said that the interest rate hikes in the U.S. and the looming economic recession in America bode ill for emerging economies. In mid-December, the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) raised interest rates for the seventh time this year, bringing the federal funds rate to a range of 4.25 percent to 4.5 percent, the highest level in 15 years. The Fed also signaled that it will continue to raise rates in early 2023, in an effort to rein in the fastest-growing inflation in decades. SOUNDBITE 1 (Spanish): MARIO CORREA, Mexican economist "The problem is that this (U.S. interest rate hike) represents a lot of additional complications, especially for the financial markets,

Magnificent winter view of China's Qinghai Lake

STORY: Magnificent winter view of China's Qinghai Lake DATELINE: Dec. 25, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:02 LOCATION: XINING, China CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of Qinghai Lake STORYLINE: With ice freezing on the surface, Qinghai Lake in northwest China has entered its frozen period. Qinghai Lake is located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It's China's largest inland saltwater lake, with an area of 4,625.6 square km in 2021. It is an important ecological barrier in northern China and a key stopover site for migrant birds. It usually goes into a "frozen period" in mid-December and completely melts in mid-April. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Xining, China. (XHTV)

Report reveals sexual abuse of female inmates in U.S. federal prisons

STORY: Report reveals sexual abuse of female inmates in U.S. federal prisons DATELINE: Dec. 19, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:59 LOCATION: NEW YORK, U.S. CATEGORY: LAW/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street views and the report 2. STANDUP (English): XIA LIN, Xinhua correspondent STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): XIA LIN, Xinhua correspondent "The U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released a report in mid-December to reveal sexual abuse of female inmates in federal prisons. According to the report, Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees sexually abused female prisoners in at least two-thirds of federal prisons that have held women over the past decade. 'The BOP has failed to prevent, detect, and stop recurring sexual abuse, including by senior prison officials.' At the all-women's prison in the city of Dublin in California, the former warden and chaplain both sexually abused female prisoners, the report has found. 'Sexual abuse of inmates is a gross abuse of human and Constitutional rights,' said U.S

Model of Nishinoshima made of 3D printer

Model of Nishinoshima made of 3D printer

TSUKUBA, Japan - Photo shows a 3D model of the Nishinoshima Island and its periphery in the Ogasawara Islands as of mid-December 2013. The near-side island is a new islet growing as a result of volcanic activities. The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan launches a website for the three dimensional Japanese map made by 3D printer on March 19, 2014.

China's senior diplomat tells N. Korea "war or chaos" not allowed

China's senior diplomat tells N. Korea "war or chaos" not allowed

PYONGYANG, North Korea - China's Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin (R) and North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun hug before their bilateral talks in the North Korean capital Pyongyang on Feb. 19, 2014. Liu is the most senior Chinese official to visit Pyongyang since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's once-powerful uncle Jang Song Thaek was executed in mid-December.

China's senior diplomat tells N. Korea "war or chaos" not allowed

China's senior diplomat tells N. Korea "war or chaos" not allowed

PYONGYANG, North Korea - China's Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin (2nd from L) and North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun (2nd from R) hold talks in the North Korean capital Pyongyang on Feb. 19, 2014. Liu is the most senior Chinese official to visit Pyongyang since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's once-powerful uncle Jang Song Thaek was executed in mid-December.

S. Korean President Lee considering visit to Japan in mid-December

S. Korean President Lee considering visit to Japan in mid-December

SEOUL, South Korea - South Korean President Lee Myung Bak (L) chats with Kozo Watanabe (R), a senior lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Japan, in Seoul on Nov. 28, 2011. Lee told a delegation of Japanese lawmakers led by Watanabe that he is considering ''visiting Japan on Dec. 17 and 18.''

Toshiba to release glasses-free big 3-D TV, thin tablet

Toshiba to release glasses-free big 3-D TV, thin tablet

TOKYO, Japan - Toshiba Corp. announced on Oct. 3, 2011, it will release a 55-inch glasses-free 3-D television with high display resolution and the world's thinnest, lightest tablet, both in mid-December in Japan. The REGZA 55X3 television with a price tag of around 900,000 yen, comes with the so-called quad full high-definition panel that boasts display images four times finer than high-definition resolution

Descendant of Sun Yat-sen's major supporter to visit Taiwan

Descendant of Sun Yat-sen's major supporter to visit Taiwan

TOKYO, Japan - Ayano Kosaka (R), a great-granddaughter of Japanese businessman Shokichi Umeya, and Jin Pu-cong, secretary general of Taiwan's ruling Nationalist Party, pose for photos in Tokyo in September 2010. Jin invited the descendant of a major supporter of the Chinese Revolution's spiritual leader Sun Yat-sen to visit Taiwan in mid-December ahead of the centennial of the 1911 revolution.

Canadians warm up for Vancouver Olympics

Canadians warm up for Vancouver Olympics

VANCOUVER, Canada - A girl wearing a hat featuring the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics mascot Quatchi shows off her red mittens bearing the Olympic logo and the Canadian maple leaf in Vancouver on Dec. 29, 2009. More than 1 million pairs of the mittens had been sold by mid-December, with the proceeds going toward supporting Canadian athletes at the Games.

New icebreaker Shirase leaves Australia for Antarctic

New icebreaker Shirase leaves Australia for Antarctic

FREMANTLE, Australia - Members of an Antarctic expedition team on board the new Japanese icebreaker Shirase wave as they leave the Western Australia port city of Fremantle on Nov. 29, 2009, on their Antarctic mission. The Shirase is expected to pass through a storm zone before arriving at Japan's Showa Station in Antarctica in mid-December. (Pool photo)

China's economic growth slows to 9% in 2008

China's economic growth slows to 9% in 2008

BEIJING, China - Photo taken Jan. 18 at Beijing's West Railway Station shows rural migrants waiting for a train as they head for their hometowns for the Chinese New Year holidays. One of them said he will not return to Beijing after the holiday period as there have been no job openings for construction workers since mid-December in Beijing.

Sohgo Security Services unveils security guard robot

Sohgo Security Services unveils security guard robot

TOKYO, Japan - Sohgo Security Services Co. unveils a cutting-edge security guard robot at a shopping mall in Tokyo's Odaiba waterfront district on Nov. 27 ahead of its formal debut there in mid-December. Standing 1.3 meters high and weighing 90 kilograms, the robot -- tentatively named ''Reborg-Q'' -- can go on patrols on behalf of human security guards, detecting fires and issuing alarms, as well as video-taping its surroundings with a camera on top of its head, the company said.

U.N. chief-designate Ban arrives in New York

U.N. chief-designate Ban arrives in New York

NEW YORK, United States - U.N. Secretary General-designate Ban Ki Moon (C) arrives in New York on Nov. 15 to take the top post of the world body on Jan. 1, succeeding Kofi Annan. The swearing-in ceremony is set for mid-December.

Icebreaker Shirase leaves on 48th Antarctic expedition

Icebreaker Shirase leaves on 48th Antarctic expedition

TOKYO, Japan - The Japanese icebreaker Shirase leaves Harumi dock in Tokyo on Nov. 14 for its 48th Antarctic expedition, marking the 50th anniversary of Japan's initial exploration of the continent. The 11,600-ton exploration ship is expected to arrive at Japan's Showa Base in Antarctica in mid-December and return to Japan next spring.

Iraqi minister asks Japan to extend SDF mission in Samawah

Iraqi minister asks Japan to extend SDF mission in Samawah

TOKYO, Japan - Iraqi Municipalities and Public Works Minister Nisreen Berwari (R) shakes hand with Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on Oct. 24 prior to their talks. She asked Japan to extend the Self-Defense Forces' humanitarian and reconstruction mission in Samawah, southern Iraq, beyond the current deadline of mid-December.

Iraq asks Japan to extend SDF mission beyond mid-December

Iraq asks Japan to extend SDF mission beyond mid-December

NEW YORK, United States - Japanese Foreign Minister Mobutaka Machimura (L) and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari shake hands as they meet at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York on Sept. 14. (Pool photo)

U.S. hopes for Japan's extension of SDF deployment in Iraq

U.S. hopes for Japan's extension of SDF deployment in Iraq

TOKYO, Japan - Visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage (L) and Japanese Defense Agency Director General Yoshinori Ono poses for photos before they begin talks at the Defense Agency on Oct. 12. Armitage said he hopes Japan will extend its humanitarian troop deployment in Iraq beyond mid-December.

Bejing has early snow

Bejing has early snow

BEIJING, China - Two tourists visiting Beijing enjoy watching the Forbidden City covered with the season's first snowfall on Nov. 7. Beijing usually gets two or three dustings of snow per winter starting in mid-December.

LDP selling Koizumi goods at discount

LDP selling Koizumi goods at discount

TOKYO, Japan - The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is selling goods related to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (photo) at discounts as large as 60% in an effort to boost sales. The discount sales campaign began in mid-December last year, and reflects the decline in demand for such goods in line with Koizumi's waning popularity.

Japan to appoint Toshiyuki Takano as ambassador to S. Korea

Japan to appoint Toshiyuki Takano as ambassador to S. Korea

TOKYO, Japan - Japan plans to appoint Toshiyuki Takano (file photo), deputy foreign minister for political affairs, as ambassador to South Korea, government sources said Nov. 13. Takano, 58, is expected to succeed the current ambassador to South Korea, Terusuke Terada, around mid-December, after the current Diet session is over.

Agriculture co-op affiliate mislabeled chicken

Agriculture co-op affiliate mislabeled chicken

TOKYO, Japan - Katsuo Endo (C), president of Zen-Noh Chicken Foods Corp. and two other company officials bow at a news conference at the company's head office March 4 in Toda, Saitama Prefecture. They apologized for selling seven tons of foreign chicken deliberately labeled as domestic from the latter half of November until mid-December.

Icebreaker Shirase leaves Japan on Antarctica mission

Icebreaker Shirase leaves Japan on Antarctica mission

TOKYO, Japan - The Japanese icebreaker Shirase leaves the port of Tokyo on Nov. 14 for the Antarctica on a research mission. The ship is expected to arrive at Japan's Showa Base in the continent in mid-December.

Auto sales in India surge to record high in November

STORY: Auto sales in India surge to record high in November DATELINE: Dec. 10, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:33 LOCATION: New Delhi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of auto dealers 2. various of street views in India STORYLINE: Automobile retail sales in India witnessed the best-ever performance in November, according to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), the top body of the automotive retail industry in India. "November 2022 has clocked highest retails in the history of Indian automobile industry with March 2020 as an exception when retails were higher due to BS-4 to BS-6 (emission standards) transition," FADA President Manish Raj Singhania said in a statement. He said auto retail in November saw an overall growth of 26 percent thanks to festive sales during India's wedding season from mid-November to mid-December, where around 3.2 million weddings are expected to be solemnized across the country. According to the FADA, all categories were in green with two-wheelers, three-wheelers

Iraq asks Japan to extend SDF mission beyond mid-December

Iraq asks Japan to extend SDF mission beyond mid-December

NEW YORK, United States - Japanese Foreign Minister Mobutaka Machimura (L) and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari shake hands as they meet at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York on Sept. 14. (Pool photo)(Kyodo)

Iraqi minister asks Japan to extend SDF mission in Samawah

Iraqi minister asks Japan to extend SDF mission in Samawah

TOKYO, Japan - Iraqi Municipalities and Public Works Minister Nisreen Berwari (R) shakes hand with Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on Oct. 24 prior to their talks. She asked Japan to extend the Self-Defense Forces' humanitarian and reconstruction mission in Samawah, southern Iraq, beyond the current deadline of mid-December. (Kyodo)

U.N. chief-designate Ban arrives in New York

U.N. chief-designate Ban arrives in New York

NEW YORK, United States - U.N. Secretary General-designate Ban Ki Moon (C) arrives in New York on Nov. 15 to take the top post of the world body on Jan. 1, succeeding Kofi Annan. The swearing-in ceremony is set for mid-December. (Kyodo)

U.S. hopes for Japan's extension of SDF deployment in Iraq

U.S. hopes for Japan's extension of SDF deployment in Iraq

TOKYO, Japan - Visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage (L) and Japanese Defense Agency Director General Yoshinori Ono poses for photos before they begin talks at the Defense Agency on Oct. 12. Armitage said he hopes Japan will extend its humanitarian troop deployment in Iraq beyond mid-December. (Kyodo)

Japan, Russian leaders expected to discuss territorial row

Japan, Russian leaders expected to discuss territorial row

Photo taken Dec. 3, 2016, from a Kyodo News airplane shows Kunashiri, one of four Russian-held, Japan-claimed islands off Japan's northernmost main island Hokkaido. The decades-old territorial row will be on high agenda when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe holds a summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Japan in mid-December. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Sony unveils high-end Cyber-shot compact digital camera

Sony unveils high-end Cyber-shot compact digital camera

Sony Corp. takes the wraps off its high-end Cyber-shot RX1R II digital camera on Nov. 6, 2015, ahead of its release in mid-December. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

China's economic growth slows to 9% in 2008

China's economic growth slows to 9% in 2008

BEIJING, China - Photo taken Jan. 18 at Beijing's West Railway Station shows rural migrants waiting for a train as they head for their hometowns for the Chinese New Year holidays. One of them said he will not return to Beijing after the holiday period as there have been no job openings for construction workers since mid-December in Beijing. (Kyodo)

Sohgo Security Services unveils security guard robot

Sohgo Security Services unveils security guard robot

TOKYO, Japan - Sohgo Security Services Co. unveils a cutting-edge security guard robot at a shopping mall in Tokyo's Odaiba waterfront district on Nov. 27 ahead of its formal debut there in mid-December. Standing 1.3 meters high and weighing 90 kilograms, the robot -- tentatively named ''Reborg-Q'' -- can go on patrols on behalf of human security guards, detecting fires and issuing alarms, as well as video-taping its surroundings with a camera on top of its head, the company said. (Kyodo)

Icebreaker Shirase leaves on 48th Antarctic expedition

Icebreaker Shirase leaves on 48th Antarctic expedition

TOKYO, Japan - The Japanese icebreaker Shirase leaves Harumi dock in Tokyo on Nov. 14 for its 48th Antarctic expedition, marking the 50th anniversary of Japan's initial exploration of the continent. The 11,600-ton exploration ship is expected to arrive at Japan's Showa Base in Antarctica in mid-December and return to Japan next spring. (Kyodo)

Agriculture co-op affiliate mislabeled chicken

Agriculture co-op affiliate mislabeled chicken

TOKYO, Japan - Katsuo Endo (C), president of Zen-Noh Chicken Foods Corp. and two other company officials bow at a news conference at the company's head office March 4 in Toda, Saitama Prefecture. They apologized for selling seven tons of foreign chicken deliberately labeled as domestic from the latter half of November until mid-December.