Pictures of the Week (Dec. 15 – Dec. 21)

Japan General Election 2012
Tokyo, Japan – Former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara of the Japan Resotoration Party takes a “banzai” pose at a news conference in Tokyo on Sunday, December 16, 2012. Early returns of Sunday’s general election showed his JRP has won nearly five times more seats than the party previously had in the Diet’s lower chamber. (Photo by AFLO)

Japan General Election 2012
Tokyo, Japan – Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pins a red paper rose over the name of a Liberal Democratic Party’s candidate elected in Sunday’s general election at the party headquarters in Tokyo on December 16 2012. Sharp Corp. announced that it is voters across Japan went to the polls, putting an end to the year-year reign by the Democratic Party of Japan, which won a landslide victory in 2009 but could not deliver on a string of campaign pledges. As predicted by the media, the LDP led by hawkish Abe, scored a landslide victory over the DPJ to regain the grip on power in the election for the 480-seat parliament lower house. (Photo by Kaku Kurita/AFLO)

FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2012 Final Corinthians 1-0 Chelsea FC
Yokohama, Japan – The Corinthians team group celebrate their victory of the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2012 against Chelsea FC at Yokohama International Stadium, December 16, 2012. (Photo by AFLO SPORT)

Hiroyuki Nakajima signs with A's
Oakland, California, USA – Hiroyuki Nakajima (Athletics) poses as he signs with the Oakland Athletics as the new infielder during a news conference in Oakland, California, December 18, 2012. The Athletics have agreed to terms of a two-year contract with Nakajima. (Photo by AFLO)

All Japan Figure Skating Championships - Official Training
Hokkaido, Japan – Kanako Murakami trains on the ice during the All Japan Figure Skating Championships Official Training session at Makomanai Ice Arena, December 20, 2012. (Photo by Daiju Kitamura/AFLO SPORT)

Projeciton mapping at Tokyo Station
Tokyo, Japan – Visitors look at the projection mapping “Tokyo Hikari Vision” on the building of Tokyo Station, December 21, 2012. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)

Christmas Illumination Display in Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan – Visitors enjoy a beautiful Christmas illumination display in downtown Tokyo, December 21, 2012. With Christmas being just a few days away, has attracted several visitors to get into the Christmas spirit. (Photo by Christopher Jue/AFLO)