Singer Masaharu Fukuyama, a native of Nagasaki Prefecture, rides on a palanquin during the Emperor Parade of the Nagasaki Lantern Festival, playing the role of a Qing dynasty emperor. (Kyodo)
A traditional rice-planting dance is performed at Kusano shrine in the Ukedo area of Namie in Fukushima Prefecture. The shrine was rebuilt after being swept away in a tsunami triggered by the March 2011 earthquake. (Kyodo)
The Japanese men's and women's teams beat Madagascar and Brazil, respectively, to secure knockout stage spots at the world team table tennis championships in Busan. (Kyodo)
Kawazu cherry blossoms, known for their early flowering, are in full bloom along with canola flowers at a park in Matsuda, Kanagawa Prefecture. (Kyodo)
Candles are lit at the site where the Canterbury Television building stood in Christchurch, New Zealand, in front of the photos of 115 victims, including 28 Japanese students, who died when the building collapsed in the M6.3 earthquake on Feb. 22, 2014. (Kyodo)
Members of the North Korea women's national football team are pictured at Beijing Capital International Airport, ahead of their Paris Olympic qualifying game against Japan in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 24. (Kyodo)
A motorcyclist is seen on a snow-covered road in Beijing. (Kyodo)
A stock monitor in Osaka shows the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ending at an all-time high, breaking the previous record set 34 years ago. (Kyodo)
An annual event to mark Shimane Prefecture-designated "Takeshima Day" is held in Matsue, western Japan, on Feb. 22, 2024, to push Japan's claim to a group of South Korea-controlled islets in the Sea of Japan. (Kyodo)
Japan's women's national team footballers train in Jeddah ahead of their Paris Olympic qualifier against North Korea in the Saudi Arabian port city on Feb. 24. (Kyodo)
Emperor Naruhito, alongside Empress Masako and other members of Japan's imperial family, waves to well-wishers from a balcony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo during his birthday celebration. The emperor, who ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019, turned 64. (Kyodo)
Japan defeats Hong Kong 3-0 to reach the women's finals at the world team table tennis championships in South Korea's Busan, with Miu Hirano topping her opponent Lee Ho-ching comfortably. (Kyodo)
Emiliia Tarmaieva fled Odesa, Ukraine, to Osaka alone roughly one year and nine months ago following Russia's invasion. The 17-year-old technical school student is determined to continue studying in Japan to acquire language and information technology skills in a bid to help her motherland. (Kyodo)
