Pictures of the Week (Dec. 8 – Dec. 14)Pictures of the Week (Dec. 8 – Dec. 14)Pictures of the Week (Dec. 8 – Dec. 14)Pictures of the Week (Dec. 8 – Dec. 14)Pictures of the Week (Dec. 8 – Dec. 14)

Sochi, Russia – (L to R) Ashley Wagner (USA), Mao Asada (JPN), and Akiko Suzuki (JPN), receive the medals for ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2012/2013, December8, 2012. They appeared at Women’s Victory Ceremony in Iceberg Skating Palace.

Tokorozawa, Japan – Bundled up in a warm coat, Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party leads three cheers during a stumping stop at Tokorozawa, Tokyo’s western suburbs, December 11, 2012.

Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s political kingpin Ichiro Ozawa speaks during a news conference at Tokyo’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, December 12, 2012. A stalwart he is, Ozawa departed from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, which he helped to a landslide victory in the 2009 general election, over the plan to increase the sales tax. He then formed a party of his own, the third-largest force in the Diet with loyal followers across the board. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

Tokyo, Japan – A dining room made of cardboard. The Eco-Products Exhibition is one of the biggest environmental issues in Japan, drawing more than 180,000 business people and consumer exhibitors, December 13, 2012. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)

Motoyahata, Japan – Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda waves to voters from atop a truck at Motoyahata, east of Tokyo, December 11, 2012, during his stumping stop in a cross country campaign for the December 16 general election. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

Sochi, Russia – (L to R) Ashley Wagner (USA), Mao Asada (JPN), and Akiko Suzuki (JPN), receive the medals for ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2012/2013, December8, 2012. They appeared at Women’s Victory Ceremony in Iceberg Skating Palace.

Tokorozawa, Japan – Bundled up in a warm coat, Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party leads three cheers during a stumping stop at Tokorozawa, Tokyo’s western suburbs, December 11, 2012.

Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s political kingpin Ichiro Ozawa speaks during a news conference at Tokyo’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, December 12, 2012. A stalwart he is, Ozawa departed from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, which he helped to a landslide victory in the 2009 general election, over the plan to increase the sales tax. He then formed a party of his own, the third-largest force in the Diet with loyal followers across the board. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

Tokyo, Japan – A dining room made of cardboard. The Eco-Products Exhibition is one of the biggest environmental issues in Japan, drawing more than 180,000 business people and consumer exhibitors, December 13, 2012. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)

Motoyahata, Japan – Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda waves to voters from atop a truck at Motoyahata, east of Tokyo, December 11, 2012, during his stumping stop in a cross country campaign for the December 16 general election. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

Sochi, Russia – (L to R) Ashley Wagner (USA), Mao Asada (JPN), and Akiko Suzuki (JPN), receive the medals for ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2012/2013, December8, 2012. They appeared at Women’s Victory Ceremony in Iceberg Skating Palace.

Tokorozawa, Japan – Bundled up in a warm coat, Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party leads three cheers during a stumping stop at Tokorozawa, Tokyo’s western suburbs, December 11, 2012.

Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s political kingpin Ichiro Ozawa speaks during a news conference at Tokyo’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, December 12, 2012. A stalwart he is, Ozawa departed from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, which he helped to a landslide victory in the 2009 general election, over the plan to increase the sales tax. He then formed a party of his own, the third-largest force in the Diet with loyal followers across the board. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

Tokyo, Japan – A dining room made of cardboard. The Eco-Products Exhibition is one of the biggest environmental issues in Japan, drawing more than 180,000 business people and consumer exhibitors, December 13, 2012. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)

Motoyahata, Japan – Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda waves to voters from atop a truck at Motoyahata, east of Tokyo, December 11, 2012, during his stumping stop in a cross country campaign for the December 16 general election. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

Sochi, Russia – (L to R) Ashley Wagner (USA), Mao Asada (JPN), and Akiko Suzuki (JPN), receive the medals for ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2012/2013, December8, 2012. They appeared at Women’s Victory Ceremony in Iceberg Skating Palace.

Tokorozawa, Japan – Bundled up in a warm coat, Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party leads three cheers during a stumping stop at Tokorozawa, Tokyo’s western suburbs, December 11, 2012.

Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s political kingpin Ichiro Ozawa speaks during a news conference at Tokyo’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, December 12, 2012. A stalwart he is, Ozawa departed from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, which he helped to a landslide victory in the 2009 general election, over the plan to increase the sales tax. He then formed a party of his own, the third-largest force in the Diet with loyal followers across the board. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

Tokyo, Japan – A dining room made of cardboard. The Eco-Products Exhibition is one of the biggest environmental issues in Japan, drawing more than 180,000 business people and consumer exhibitors, December 13, 2012. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)

Motoyahata, Japan – Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda waves to voters from atop a truck at Motoyahata, east of Tokyo, December 11, 2012, during his stumping stop in a cross country campaign for the December 16 general election. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

Sochi, Russia – (L to R) Ashley Wagner (USA), Mao Asada (JPN), and Akiko Suzuki (JPN), receive the medals for ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2012/2013, December8, 2012. They appeared at Women’s Victory Ceremony in Iceberg Skating Palace.

Tokorozawa, Japan – Bundled up in a warm coat, Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party leads three cheers during a stumping stop at Tokorozawa, Tokyo’s western suburbs, December 11, 2012.

Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s political kingpin Ichiro Ozawa speaks during a news conference at Tokyo’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, December 12, 2012. A stalwart he is, Ozawa departed from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, which he helped to a landslide victory in the 2009 general election, over the plan to increase the sales tax. He then formed a party of his own, the third-largest force in the Diet with loyal followers across the board. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)

Tokyo, Japan – A dining room made of cardboard. The Eco-Products Exhibition is one of the biggest environmental issues in Japan, drawing more than 180,000 business people and consumer exhibitors, December 13, 2012. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)

Motoyahata, Japan – Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda waves to voters from atop a truck at Motoyahata, east of Tokyo, December 11, 2012, during his stumping stop in a cross country campaign for the December 16 general election. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)