Tokyo, Japan – Hundreds of calligraphers brush words during an annual convention of New Year’s Kakizome at Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan martial arts hall on Sunday, January 5, 2014. Kakizome, or the New Year’s first calligraphy writing, is one of the firsts Japanese are serious about. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Ryusei Shinoyama (Brave Thunders) in action during the All Japan Basketball Championship 2014 Empress’s Cup Final between Toyota Alvark Tokyo 79-82 Toshiba Brave Thunders Kanagawa at 1st Yoyogi Gymnasium, January 13, 2014. (Photo by AFLO SPORT)
Tokyo, Japan – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gives three rousing Banzai cheers along with other members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party at the conclusion of its annual convention at a Tokyo hotel on Sunday, January 19, 2014. Abe vowed that he will carry out economic and tax policy in July to balance the potential impacts that would be brought by the planned sales tax hike in April. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Actor Chris Hemsworth poses with fans during the Japan premiere for the film “Thor: The Dark World” in Tokyo, Japan, January 26, 2014. (Photo by AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl make funny face gestures during a press conference for the film “Rush” in downtown Tokyo, January 28, 2014. (Photo by AFLO)
Sochi, Russia – Nobuyuki Nishi (JPN) in action during the freestyle skiing official training session at “ROSA KHUTOR” Extreme Park during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, February 3, 2014. (Photo by YUTAKA/AFLO SPORT)
Tokyo, Japan – Visitors walk through a path at Meiji Jingu Shrine in the snow, February 8, 2014. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, heavy snowfall hit wide areas of Japan since Saturday morning causing a disruption in public transportation and flight delays at the airport. (Photo by AFLO)
Sochi, Russia – Reruhi Shimizu in the air during the ski jumping men’s individual Normal Hill final at “RUSSKI GORKI” Jumping Center during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, February 9, 2014. (Photo by YUTAKA/AFLO SPORT)
Sochi, Russia – A general view of men’s skeleton at the Sliding Center “SANKI” during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, February 14, 2014. (Photo by Yusuke Nakanishi/AFLO SPORT)
Sochi, Russia – A general view of bobsleigh two-man heat 3 at Sliding Center “SANKI” during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, February 17, 2014. (Photo by Yohei Osada/AFLO SPORT)
Sochi, Russia – A general view of the closing ceremony for The 2014 Olympic Winter Games at “FISHT” Olympic Stadium during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, February 23, 2014. (Photo by Yusuke Nakanishi/AFLO SPORT)
Tokyo, Japan – Miyu Hirano competes during the 18th Japan top 12 Table Tennis Championships, Women’s Singles at Yoyogi National Gymnasium, March 1, 2014. (Photo by AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Anti-nuclear protestors wearing protective suits show simulated barrels of radioactive material during the “No Nukes Day” rally on March 9, 2014. Organizers claim 32,000 protesters during the demo in Hibiya and Nagatacho area. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Model Kiko Mizuhara walks down the catwalk wearing the brand ‘Sretsis’ during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo 2014-15 Autumn/Winter collection held at the Shibuya Hikarie complex, March 17, 2014. (Photo by Motoo Naka/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Ryosuke Iai (Yokohama Sakura) in action during the 36th JOC Junior Olympic Cup Men’s 200m Butterfly 15-16 years old at Tatsumi International Swimming Pool, March 29, 2014. (Photo by AFLO SPORT)
Tokyo, Japan – Andrew Garfield is all tangled up in paper gossamer as he poses for Japanese fans in a promotion appearance for the upcoming Hollywood adventure movie “Amazing Spider-Man 2″ in Tokyo on Monday, March 31, 2014. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)
Kawasaki, Japan – Participants during the Kanamara Matsuri, which held each first Sunday of April at Kanayama Shrine, April 6, 2014. After the lighting of the sacred flame at the shrine, a huge pink phallus-shaped mikoshi altar is carried around the city during a procession. The penis, central theme of the event, is reflected in illustrations, candy, carved vegetables and decorations. There is also a museum near the shrine with a cast-iron sculpture of a vagina and a pair of legs. Visitors can purchase small penis-shaped souvenirs and rub it on the sculpture for good luck. (Photo by Francesco Libassi/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pose with guests for a photo session at a cherry blossoms viewing party hosted by the premier at Shinjuku-Gyoen Park, 12 April 2014. (Photo by Motoo Naka/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – US President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meet at famous sushi restaurant “Sukiyabashi Jiro” on April 23, 2014. The two leaders will hold more formal talks on Thursday during Obama’s visit, to promote the US as a committed economic, political, and military partner. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)
Chiba, Japan – Masato Kudo (Reysol) sprays himself with water during the 2014 J.League Division 1 match between Kashiwa Reysol 3-2 Urawa Reds at Hitachi Kashiwa Stadium, April 26, 2014. (Photo by Jun Tsukida/AFLO SPORT)
Madrid, Spain – Kei Nishikori of Japan during the men’s singles 2nd round match of the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament at the La Caja Magica, May 6, 2014. (Photo by AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Fast-food workers protest for better payments and conditions around Shibuya district on May 15, 2014. The strikes are launched on May 15 in different countries such as Brazil, USA, Italy, Morocco and Japan. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)
Fukushima, Japan – Yohei Sugai in action during the 56th East Japan Industrial Athletics Championship Men’s Long Jump at Toho Minnano Stadium, May 17, 2014. (Photo by YUTAKA/AFLO SPORT)
Tokyo, Japan – Actor Hugh Jackman(L) and Japanese actress Ayame Gouriki (R) gesture on stage during the Japan premiere for the film “X-Men: Days of Future Past” in Tokyo, Japan, on May 27, 2014. (Photo by AFLO)
Chiba, Japan – Bradley Simpson of the Vamps poses for a photograph with fans upon his arrival at Narita International Airport, May 30, 2014. (Photo by AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – SoftBank Group and Aldebaran Robotics SAS (“Aldebaran”), announced the joint development of “Pepper”, the world´s first personal robot that can read emotions, June 6, 2014. Pepper, which incorporates variety of technologies and capabilities, will be commercially available in Japan form SoftBank Mobile in February 2015 for a base price of JPY 198,000. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – A woman enjoys breakfast with a huge plush Moomin character at the Moomin House Cafe in TOKYO SKYTREE on June 17, 2014. There are three Moomin Cafe in Japan, serving food and desserts in the form of the Finnish character. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)
Yokohama, Japan – Mizuki Oikawa in action during the ITTF World Tour, Japan Open 2014 U21 men’s singles qualifying round at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium, June 18, 2014. (Photo by SHINGO ITO/AFLO SPORT)
Kanagawa, Japan – Kazuhiro Ota in action during the 2014 Japan University Athletics Championship, Men’s high jump at Shonan BMW Stadium Hiratsuka, June 21, 2014. (Photo by AFLO SPORT)
Osaka, Japan – Actor Tom Cruise arrives at Kansai International Airport, June 25, 2014. (Photo by AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Carlos Ghosn gestures during a news conference at Tokyo’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan on Thursday, July 17, 2014. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Workers from the offices around Tokyo Station change their clothes to summer robes as they take part in sprinkling water, Japan’s long-standing custom to keep temperatures down, during an event on the main boulevard leading from the capital’s central railroad station to the Imperial Palace on Friday, July 25, 2014. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)
Aomori, Japan – Rice paddy art on display in Inakadate Village in Aomori Prefecture on Sunday 27th July 2014. This year’s designs include a recreation of Mt Fuji and a depiction of the characters from the popular Japanese animation Sazaesan. Every year new creations are displayed from mid-July until September. (Photo by AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – A boy slides down a giant toilet at the Toilet!? – Human Waste & Earth’s Future exhibition on August 1, 2014. The Toilet!? Human Waste & Earth’s Future is an exhibition to listen the toilet’s voice and explore what is the “happy toilet” for each human being on the earth at National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo from July 2 to October 5. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – The horizontal bar during the 2014 Artistic Gymnastics All-Japan Inter High School Championships, Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Preliminary at Yoyogi 1st Gymnasium, August 3, 2014. (Photo by Shingo Ito/AFLO SPORT)
Chiba, Japan – American singer and songwriter Lady Gaga arrives at Narita Airport, August 12, 2014. (Photo by Motoo Naka/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Antonio Inoki, a member of Japan’s House of Councillors, gives his trade mark cheering gesture at the end of a news conference at Tokyo’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan on Thursday, August 21, 2014. The ex-professional wrestler-turned-politician known for his fight with Muhammad Ali in 1976 has made nearly 30 trips to North Korea and has one coming up at the end of August. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)
Nanjing, China – Rana Nakano in action during the Girls’ Trampoline Final at Nanjing Olympic Sports Center during the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games, August 21, 2014. (Photo by AFLO SPORT)
Tokyo, Japan – Samba dancers parade through the streets of Tokyo’s Asakusa district during the 33rd Asakusa Samba Carnival on Saturday, August 23, 2014. Approximately 4,700 dancers performed in the Carnival before tens of thousands of bystanders. (Photo by Nippon News)
Incheon, South Korea – Katsuhiko Uechi in action at the weightlifting men’s 62kg at moonlight festival garden weightlifting Venue during the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, September 21, 2014. (Photo by Shingo Ito/AFLO SPORT)
Nanning, China – Kenzo Shirai in action during the 2014 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships men’s qualification at the Guangxi Gymnasium, October 4, 2014. (Photo by Yusuke Nakanishi/AFLO SPORT)
Suzuka, Japan – Jules Bianchi (Marussia) in action during the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit, October 5, 2014. (Photo by AFLO SPORT)
Tokyo, Japan – Actress Tilda Swinton and designer Haider Ackermann attend the Hanae Mori collection designed by Yu Amatsu show during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo 2015 Spring/Summer, October 13, 2014. (Photo by Motoo Naka/AFLO)
Incheon, South Korea – (L-R) Hiroshi Ochiai (JPN) and Kento Kato (JPN) in action at the football 5-a-side match between Japan and China at Seonhak Hockey stadium during the 2014 Incheon Para Asian Games, October 21, 2014. (Photo by Shingo Ito/AFLO SPORT)
Chiba, Japan – Country-music singer, songwriter Taylor Swift greets fans upon her arrival at Narita International Airport, November 4, 2014. The singer came to Japan to promote her fifth album “1989” released on October 27, 2014. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – The 38th Design Festa, the single largest art festival in Asia, kicked off in Tokyo on Saturday, November 8, 2014. More than 12,000 artists, designers, musicians and actors, both professionals and amateurs, were welcomed to exhibit their works and products in the two-day international art event as long as they are original. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Runa Yamaguchi in action during the 67th All Japan Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, Women’s Individual Ribbon, at Yoyogi 1st Gymnasium, November 16, 2014. (Photo by AFLO SPORT)
Yokohama, Japan – Takashi Miura of Japan (L) strikes punch to Edgar Puerta of Mexico (R) during the sixth round of the WBC super featherweight title bout at Yokohama International Swimming Pool, November 22, 2014. (Photo by Hiroaki Yamaguchi/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Models walk the runway during the Esprit Dior Tokyo 2015 fashion show at Ryougoku Sumo Hall, December 11, 2014. (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Banri Kaieda, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), listens to the election results at the party’s main headquarters in Tokyo while early returns from Sunday’s Lower House elections indicate the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory on December 14, 2014. On December 15 Kaieda announced his resignation over the election defeat. (Photo by AFLO)
Tokyo, Japan – Keisuke Sakamoto (L) and Takuya Taniguchi (R) in action during the 67th All Japan Fencing Championship, Men’s Epee semi-final match at Ota-City General Gymnasium, December 21, 2014. (Photo by AFLO SPORT)
