The final contest to choose Japan's best "yuru-kyara," as cuddly mascots such as internationally recognized Kumamon are known, was staged Saturday with 691 contenders.This year's winner of the competition, which is taking place in Takizawa in the northeastern prefecture of Iwate, will be decided Sunday by votes from audience members and those cast online.The annual event aimed at boosting regional economies began in 2011, with Kumamoto Prefecture's Kumamon black bear-like mascot winning the inaugural competition.Last year, products bearing the image of Kumamon racked up sales of at least 15…READ FULL ARTICLE
