Selected of 2024
1月1日，日本东京涩谷大十字路口，一男子在街头支持当时为前总统的特朗普。
A man expresses his support for former President Donald Trump Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing, Japan, on Jan. 1.
A man expresses his support for former President Donald Trump Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing, Japan, on Jan. 1.
1月2日，在石川县（Ishikaka Ken）志贺町（Shika Cho）志贺町立富来小学，约200名居民在小学内避难。
日本石川县能登半岛1月1日下午发生7.6级地震，最大震度达到日本气象厅地震烈度表的最高等级震度7。截至8月21日，确认的直接和间接死亡人数已增至281人。日本内阁府4月23日公布的估算数据显示，地震造成第一季度石川、富山、新潟三县的直接经济损失约为900亿至1150亿日元。
能登半岛是日本典型的人口老龄化和少子化严重的地区之一，老年人比例较高，根据统计，能登半岛许多地区的老龄化率（65岁及以上人口比例）接近或超过50%。
Approximately 200 residents take refuge at Togi Elementary School in Shika Town, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, following the devastating earthquake, on Jan. 2.
The 7.6-magnitude earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula on January 1 registered the highest seismic intensity of 7 on the Japan Meteorological Agency’s scale. As of Aug. 21, the disaster has claimed 281 lives, including both direct and indirect fatalities.
A report from Japan’s Cabinet Office on April 23 estimated the quake caused direct economic losses of 90 billion to 115 billion yen during the first quarter in the affected prefectures of Ishikawa, Toyama, and Niigata.
Many places of the Noto Peninsula, known for their severe population aging and declining birthrate, have an aging rate (residents aged 65 and older) that approaches or exceeds 50% in many areas.
日本石川县能登半岛1月1日下午发生7.6级地震，最大震度达到日本气象厅地震烈度表的最高等级震度7。截至8月21日，确认的直接和间接死亡人数已增至281人。日本内阁府4月23日公布的估算数据显示，地震造成第一季度石川、富山、新潟三县的直接经济损失约为900亿至1150亿日元。
能登半岛是日本典型的人口老龄化和少子化严重的地区之一，老年人比例较高，根据统计，能登半岛许多地区的老龄化率（65岁及以上人口比例）接近或超过50%。
Approximately 200 residents take refuge at Togi Elementary School in Shika Town, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, following the devastating earthquake, on Jan. 2.
The 7.6-magnitude earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula on January 1 registered the highest seismic intensity of 7 on the Japan Meteorological Agency’s scale. As of Aug. 21, the disaster has claimed 281 lives, including both direct and indirect fatalities.
A report from Japan’s Cabinet Office on April 23 estimated the quake caused direct economic losses of 90 billion to 115 billion yen during the first quarter in the affected prefectures of Ishikawa, Toyama, and Niigata.
Many places of the Noto Peninsula, known for their severe population aging and declining birthrate, have an aging rate (residents aged 65 and older) that approaches or exceeds 50% in many areas.
1月4日，在日本石川县轮岛市“轮岛早市”被大火烧成废墟。能登半岛地震导致“轮岛早市”遭遇严重火灾，过火面积达4.8万平方米，超过200栋房屋被烧毁。
“轮岛早市”是日本著名的传统早市之一，位于石川县能登半岛的轮岛市。它有着超过千年的历史，被认为是日本三大早市之一。
Photo taken on Jan. 4 shows the destroyed Wajima Morning Market by a massive fire in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.
Sparked by the Noto Peninsula earthquake, the blaze engulfed an area of 48,000 square meters, consuming over 200 buildings in one of Japan’s most historic marketplaces.
The Wajima Morning Market, located in Wajima City on the Noto Peninsula, is one of Japan’s most renowned traditional markets. With a history spanning over a millennium, it is recognized as one of the three great morning markets in Japan.
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1月8日，日本横滨，年轻女子穿着传统服饰参加成人式。
Young women in traditional attire participate in the Coming-of-Age ceremony in Yokohama, Japan, on Jan. 8.
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2月12日，四川成都，姥爷在家中。这是姥爷确诊阿尔兹海默症的第二年。
My grandfather sits at his home in Chengdu, China, on Feb. 12. This marks the second year since his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease.
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2月12日，四川成都石经寺，人们农历新年来此烧香拜佛。
People gather at Shijing Temple in Chengdu, China, to burn incense and pray for fortune during the Lunar New Year. on Feb. 12.
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3月29日，小林制药负责人小林章浩在日本大阪举行的记者发布会上。日本知名制药企业小林制药公司3月宣布，因有消费者服用该公司含红曲成分保健品后出现肾脏疾病等健康问题，决定紧急召回3款含红曲成分保健品。截至3月底，已有5人死亡，114人住院治疗，1224人就医，相关咨询达53,000件。
Akihiro Kobayashi, President of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., reacts during a press conference in Osaka, Japan. on March 29.
The well-known Japanese pharmaceutical company on March announced an urgent recall of three health supplements containing red yeast rice. This decision was made after reports emerged that consumers had developed kidney diseases and other health issues after using these products.
As of the end of March, five deaths have been reported, with 114 individuals hospitalized and 1,224 seeking medical attention. The company has also received 53,000 inquiries related to the issue.
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4月6日，日本铃鹿，索伯车队中国车手周冠宇在F1日本站排位赛中。本赛季是周冠宇暂别F1车手前最后一个赛季。2024年，周冠宇参加了全部22场比赛，积4分，位列倒数第二。
Kick Sauber's Zhou Guanyu of China drives his car during the qualifying session of the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 6, 2024.
This season marks Zhou’s final year as an F1 driver before his temporary departure. In 2024, Zhou participated in all 22 races, earning 4 points, which placed him second to last in the standings.
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4月28日，日本东京浅草寺，宝宝选手在“宝宝哭相扑大赛”中比赛。在比赛中，“行司”（裁判）会试图让力士抱着的婴儿大哭。哭声是无病无灾的象征，以此祈愿孩子茁壮健康成长。
A Naki Sumo Crying Baby Contest is held in Tokyo, Japan, on April 28, 2024 In Japan it is said that a crying baby grows healthy and strong. Naki-Sumo is a traditional ceremony for praying baby's happiness and good health by competing with baby's crying voices. It has a history about 30 years. Babies who were born in previous year are entitled to join this contest. Each baby is held by a Sumo wrestler, and stimulated to cry without any harms.
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5月17日，日本神户，在残疾人田径世锦赛男子5000米T11级别决赛后，巴西队选手庆祝获得冠亚军。
雅克·耶尔辛（左一）和他的领跑员安东尼奥·亨里克（左二）以14:53.97的成绩获得冠军并打破世界纪录。儒利奥·塞萨尔（后）和他的领跑员米卡埃尔（左三）以14:57.70的成绩获得亚军并刷新个人最好成绩。
Athletes from Brazil celebrated their gold and silver medals after the Men’s 5000m T11 final at the World Para Athletics Championships held in Kobe, Japan, on May 17.
Jacques Yeltsin (L) and his guide runner, Antonio Henrique Barreto Lima (2nd, L), won the gold medal with a time of 14:53.97, setting a new world record. Julio Cesar Agripino dos Santos (back) and his guide runner, Micael Batista dos Santos (3rd, L), took the silver with a time of 14:57.70, while also setting a personal best.
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5月31日，日本福冈，一位男子工作间隙时在巴士上小憩。
A man takes a short nap on the bus during a break from work in Fukuoka, Japan, on May 31.
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6月13日，日本千叶，一位男子在车中休息。
A man rests in his car in Chiba, Japan, on June 13.
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7月27日，日本东京，一处东京都知事选举公示板。在2024年东京都知事选举共56人参选，创下了参选人数历史纪录。期间，选举公示板出现了多起不规范张贴的情况。东京都知事竞选规则允许任何支付相当于14万人民币押金的人参选。每名候选人在NHK上有两个6分钟的时段为自己的选举造势。候选人也可以在全市14000个官方选举公告牌上张贴标语。这样的规则初衷是为了实现平等的政治参与，但是近年来越来越被一些与政治无关信息的传播者劫持。
A campaign board for the election of the Governor of Tokyo is displayed on a street in Tokyo, Japan, July 27.
A record-breaking 56 candidates participated in the 2024 Tokyo Governor election, marking the highest number of contenders in history. During the campaign, several instances of improper poster placement were reported on official election notice boards.
The rules for the Tokyo Governor election allow anyone to run by paying a deposit equivalent to 3 million yen. Each candidate is given two six-minute slots on NHK to promote their campaign. Additionally, candidates can post their campaign posters on 14,000 official election boards throughout the city.
While these rules were initially designed to ensure equal political participation, they have increasingly been exploited in recent years by individuals spreading messages unrelated to politics.
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7月20日，日本埼玉县熊谷市，各町将自己的花车停在熊谷车站前开始第一轮“花车比赛”。
1902年起，熊谷的店家因在夏季节日向顾客免费赠送团扇而大受好评，购物就要趁“熊谷团扇节”的佳话广为流传，“团扇节”的名称的由此而来。与此同时随着绢产业等的发展，各町在节日竞相购置花车、移动摊位，“团扇节”传统的神轿巡游和花车、移动摊位游行的传统进而形成并延续至今。
Festival floats from all neighborhoods are displayed at Kumagaya Station to start first round of floats competition during the Uchiwa Festival in Kumagaya, Saitama, Japan, on July 20, 2024.The name Uchiwa Festival comes from an episode when merchants started to offer their customers an uchiwa (Japanese fan) sometime around 1902, and people believed the best shopping was when Kumagaya Uchiwa Festival took place. Around the same time, while the towns bustled with people due to growth of the silk industry, each neighborhood competitively purchased festival floats, which became an original model of the current Uchiwa Festival, featuring Mikoshi togyo—a traditional Japanese festival event involving the procession of a mikoshi, which is a portable shrine, and a parade of festival floats and continues to this date.
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8月2日，日本东京，行人走过显示实时股价的电子屏幕。当日，日本东京股市早盘再次出现急剧下跌行情，日经225种股票平均价格指数一度下跌超过2000点，跌幅超过5%。前一交易日，日本股市也遭遇大跌，日经股指一度下跌超过1300点。
A pedestrian passes by an electronic screen displaying real-time stock prices in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 2.
Tokyo’s stock market experienced another sharp decline during early trading on Friday. The Nikkei 225 index plunged by over 2,000 points at one point, marking a drop of more than 5%. On the previous trading day, the Japanese stock market also suffered significant losses, with the Nikkei index falling by more than 1,300 points at one point.
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8月5日，日本广岛，人们在和平纪念广场纪念广岛原子弹轰炸遇难者。
People gather at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park to commemorate the victims of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 5.
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8月10日，日本长野，清水英男（Shimizu Hideo）在家中。
94岁731少年兵清水英男8月12日从大阪出发赴前往中国哈尔滨原侵华日军第七三一部队旧址指认现场并对逝者家属道歉。侵华战争结束已经79年，清水英男是迄今为止第5位返回中国指认现场并道歉的731部队原队员，也可能是最后一位。
Shimizu Hideo stays in his home in Nagano, Japan, on Aug. 10.
Shimizu Hideo, a 94-year-old former teenage member of Unit 731, departed for Harbin, China on Aug. 12 to identify sites related to the former Imperial Japanese Army’s Unit 731 and apologize to the families of the deceased.
Seventy-nine years after the end of the war, Shimizu is the fifth known former Unit 731 member to return to China to identify locations and express remorse, and he may well be the last.
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8月15日，日本东京靖国神社，右翼分子在举行仪式。1945年8月15日，日本天皇昭和天皇通过广播宣布日本无条件投降，第二次世界大战结束。
Right-wing activists hold a ceremony at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 15.
On August 15, 1945, Emperor Showa (Hirohito) announced Japan’s unconditional surrender via radio broadcast, marking the end of World War II.
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9月5日，日本琦玉，中国队球迷在比赛后。当日，在日本埼玉举行的2026年世界杯亚洲区预选赛18强赛C组第一轮比赛中，中国队以0:7不敌日本队。
A Chinese fan reacts after the match in Saitama, Japan, on Sept. 5. In the first-round match of Group C in the AFC 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers held in Saitama, the Chinese team suffered a 0-7 defeat against Japan.
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10月5日，日本琦玉，人们在欣赏鸿巢花火大会。鸿巢花火大会的历史可以追溯到1950年，至今已经成为日本最具规模和影响力的花火大会之一。其中，代表性超大烟花“正四尺玉”以其巨大的规模吸引了大量观众。
Spectators enjoy the Konosu Fireworks Festival in Saitama, Japan, on Oct. 5.
Dating back to 1950, the Konosu Fireworks Festival has grown into one of Japan’s largest and most influential fireworks events. Its iconic giant firework, the “Shō-yon-shaku-dama” (Four-foot Shell), captivates audiences with its impressive scale and grandeur.
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10月28日，日本东京，日本各大媒体报道正在进行的众议院选举。在27日举行的日本第50届众议院选举中，日本自民党和公明党组成的执政联盟未能获得众议院过半数席位。
Major Japanese media outlets cover the ongoing House of Representatives election on Oct. 28.
In the 50th House of Representatives election held on October 27, the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito failed to secure a majority of seats in the lower house.
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12月6日，日本东京，正在建设中的晴海人工岛。
该区域的填海工程始于20世纪初，但真正成为一个重要的开发项目是在1970年代。随着东京湾周边的土地逐渐饱和，东京市政府决定利用海洋资源建设新的城市岛屿。晴海岛在2020年东京奥运会期间作为奥运村的核心区域之一，成为一些重要体育赛事和住宿设施的所在地。东京奥运会后，部分设施被转为长期居住和商业用途。
Photo taken on Dec. 6 shows the under constructing Harumi artificial island in Tokyo, Japan.
Land reclamation in this area began in the early 20th century, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that it became a significant development project. As land around Tokyo Bay grew increasingly scarce, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government decided to utilize marine resources to create new urban islands.
Harumi Island served as a key area during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, functioning as the Olympic Village and hosting several important events and accommodation facilities. After the Olympics, some of these facilities were repurposed for long-term residential and commercial use.
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12月17日，日本福井县常山酒厂，工人将刚蒸好的米装篮称重。联合国教科文组织于2024年12月4日将日本的“日本使用米麹菌酿酒的传统知识和技能”列入非物质文化遗产名录。日本的“传统酿酒技艺”是指包括清酒(Sake)、烧酒(Shochu)、泡盛(Awamori)等多种传统酒类的酿造方法。这些技艺结合了当地自然条件、传统工艺以及独特的发酵技术。
Workers weigh baskets of freshly steamed rice at the Jozan Sake Brewery.On Dec. 4, 2024, UNESCO added Japan’s “Traditional knowledge and skills of sake-making with koji mold” to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Japanese alcoholic beverages, including sake(nihonshu) shochu and awamori are made from grains and water that is deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Craftspeople use koji mould to convert the starch in the ingredients into sugar. They oversee the process to make sure the mould grows in optimal conditions, adjusting the temperature and humidity as needed. Their work determines the quality of the sake. Viewed as a sacred gift from deities, sake is indispensable in festivals, weddings, rites of passage and other socio-cultural occasions. Although it is mass-produced today, craftspeople continue to make sake the traditional way.
“轮岛早市”是日本著名的传统早市之一，位于石川县能登半岛的轮岛市。它有着超过千年的历史，被认为是日本三大早市之一。
Photo taken on Jan. 4 shows the destroyed Wajima Morning Market by a massive fire in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.
Sparked by the Noto Peninsula earthquake, the blaze engulfed an area of 48,000 square meters, consuming over 200 buildings in one of Japan’s most historic marketplaces.
The Wajima Morning Market, located in Wajima City on the Noto Peninsula, is one of Japan’s most renowned traditional markets. With a history spanning over a millennium, it is recognized as one of the three great morning markets in Japan.
1月8日，日本横滨，年轻女子穿着传统服饰参加成人式。
Young women in traditional attire participate in the Coming-of-Age ceremony in Yokohama, Japan, on Jan. 8.
2月12日，四川成都，姥爷在家中。这是姥爷确诊阿尔兹海默症的第二年。
My grandfather sits at his home in Chengdu, China, on Feb. 12. This marks the second year since his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease.
People gather at Shijing Temple in Chengdu, China, to burn incense and pray for fortune during the Lunar New Year. on Feb. 12.
Akihiro Kobayashi, President of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., reacts during a press conference in Osaka, Japan. on March 29.
The well-known Japanese pharmaceutical company on March announced an urgent recall of three health supplements containing red yeast rice. This decision was made after reports emerged that consumers had developed kidney diseases and other health issues after using these products.
As of the end of March, five deaths have been reported, with 114 individuals hospitalized and 1,224 seeking medical attention. The company has also received 53,000 inquiries related to the issue.
4月6日，日本铃鹿，索伯车队中国车手周冠宇在F1日本站排位赛中。本赛季是周冠宇暂别F1车手前最后一个赛季。2024年，周冠宇参加了全部22场比赛，积4分，位列倒数第二。
Kick Sauber's Zhou Guanyu of China drives his car during the qualifying session of the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 6, 2024.
This season marks Zhou’s final year as an F1 driver before his temporary departure. In 2024, Zhou participated in all 22 races, earning 4 points, which placed him second to last in the standings.
4月28日，日本东京浅草寺，宝宝选手在“宝宝哭相扑大赛”中比赛。在比赛中，“行司”（裁判）会试图让力士抱着的婴儿大哭。哭声是无病无灾的象征，以此祈愿孩子茁壮健康成长。
A Naki Sumo Crying Baby Contest is held in Tokyo, Japan, on April 28, 2024 In Japan it is said that a crying baby grows healthy and strong. Naki-Sumo is a traditional ceremony for praying baby's happiness and good health by competing with baby's crying voices. It has a history about 30 years. Babies who were born in previous year are entitled to join this contest. Each baby is held by a Sumo wrestler, and stimulated to cry without any harms.
5月17日，日本神户，在残疾人田径世锦赛男子5000米T11级别决赛后，巴西队选手庆祝获得冠亚军。
雅克·耶尔辛（左一）和他的领跑员安东尼奥·亨里克（左二）以14:53.97的成绩获得冠军并打破世界纪录。儒利奥·塞萨尔（后）和他的领跑员米卡埃尔（左三）以14:57.70的成绩获得亚军并刷新个人最好成绩。
Athletes from Brazil celebrated their gold and silver medals after the Men’s 5000m T11 final at the World Para Athletics Championships held in Kobe, Japan, on May 17.
Jacques Yeltsin (L) and his guide runner, Antonio Henrique Barreto Lima (2nd, L), won the gold medal with a time of 14:53.97, setting a new world record. Julio Cesar Agripino dos Santos (back) and his guide runner, Micael Batista dos Santos (3rd, L), took the silver with a time of 14:57.70, while also setting a personal best.
A man takes a short nap on the bus during a break from work in Fukuoka, Japan, on May 31.
6月13日，日本千叶，一位男子在车中休息。
A man rests in his car in Chiba, Japan, on June 13.
7月27日，日本东京，一处东京都知事选举公示板。在2024年东京都知事选举共56人参选，创下了参选人数历史纪录。期间，选举公示板出现了多起不规范张贴的情况。东京都知事竞选规则允许任何支付相当于14万人民币押金的人参选。每名候选人在NHK上有两个6分钟的时段为自己的选举造势。候选人也可以在全市14000个官方选举公告牌上张贴标语。这样的规则初衷是为了实现平等的政治参与，但是近年来越来越被一些与政治无关信息的传播者劫持。
A campaign board for the election of the Governor of Tokyo is displayed on a street in Tokyo, Japan, July 27.
A record-breaking 56 candidates participated in the 2024 Tokyo Governor election, marking the highest number of contenders in history. During the campaign, several instances of improper poster placement were reported on official election notice boards.
The rules for the Tokyo Governor election allow anyone to run by paying a deposit equivalent to 3 million yen. Each candidate is given two six-minute slots on NHK to promote their campaign. Additionally, candidates can post their campaign posters on 14,000 official election boards throughout the city.
While these rules were initially designed to ensure equal political participation, they have increasingly been exploited in recent years by individuals spreading messages unrelated to politics.
7月20日，日本埼玉县熊谷市，各町将自己的花车停在熊谷车站前开始第一轮“花车比赛”。
1902年起，熊谷的店家因在夏季节日向顾客免费赠送团扇而大受好评，购物就要趁“熊谷团扇节”的佳话广为流传，“团扇节”的名称的由此而来。与此同时随着绢产业等的发展，各町在节日竞相购置花车、移动摊位，“团扇节”传统的神轿巡游和花车、移动摊位游行的传统进而形成并延续至今。
Festival floats from all neighborhoods are displayed at Kumagaya Station to start first round of floats competition during the Uchiwa Festival in Kumagaya, Saitama, Japan, on July 20, 2024.The name Uchiwa Festival comes from an episode when merchants started to offer their customers an uchiwa (Japanese fan) sometime around 1902, and people believed the best shopping was when Kumagaya Uchiwa Festival took place. Around the same time, while the towns bustled with people due to growth of the silk industry, each neighborhood competitively purchased festival floats, which became an original model of the current Uchiwa Festival, featuring Mikoshi togyo—a traditional Japanese festival event involving the procession of a mikoshi, which is a portable shrine, and a parade of festival floats and continues to this date.
8月2日，日本东京，行人走过显示实时股价的电子屏幕。当日，日本东京股市早盘再次出现急剧下跌行情，日经225种股票平均价格指数一度下跌超过2000点，跌幅超过5%。前一交易日，日本股市也遭遇大跌，日经股指一度下跌超过1300点。
A pedestrian passes by an electronic screen displaying real-time stock prices in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 2.
Tokyo’s stock market experienced another sharp decline during early trading on Friday. The Nikkei 225 index plunged by over 2,000 points at one point, marking a drop of more than 5%. On the previous trading day, the Japanese stock market also suffered significant losses, with the Nikkei index falling by more than 1,300 points at one point.
8月5日，日本广岛，人们在和平纪念广场纪念广岛原子弹轰炸遇难者。
People gather at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park to commemorate the victims of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 5.
8月10日，日本长野，清水英男（Shimizu Hideo）在家中。
94岁731少年兵清水英男8月12日从大阪出发赴前往中国哈尔滨原侵华日军第七三一部队旧址指认现场并对逝者家属道歉。侵华战争结束已经79年，清水英男是迄今为止第5位返回中国指认现场并道歉的731部队原队员，也可能是最后一位。
Shimizu Hideo stays in his home in Nagano, Japan, on Aug. 10.
Shimizu Hideo, a 94-year-old former teenage member of Unit 731, departed for Harbin, China on Aug. 12 to identify sites related to the former Imperial Japanese Army’s Unit 731 and apologize to the families of the deceased.
Seventy-nine years after the end of the war, Shimizu is the fifth known former Unit 731 member to return to China to identify locations and express remorse, and he may well be the last.
8月15日，日本东京靖国神社，右翼分子在举行仪式。1945年8月15日，日本天皇昭和天皇通过广播宣布日本无条件投降，第二次世界大战结束。
Right-wing activists hold a ceremony at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 15.
On August 15, 1945, Emperor Showa (Hirohito) announced Japan’s unconditional surrender via radio broadcast, marking the end of World War II.
9月5日，日本琦玉，中国队球迷在比赛后。当日，在日本埼玉举行的2026年世界杯亚洲区预选赛18强赛C组第一轮比赛中，中国队以0:7不敌日本队。
A Chinese fan reacts after the match in Saitama, Japan, on Sept. 5. In the first-round match of Group C in the AFC 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers held in Saitama, the Chinese team suffered a 0-7 defeat against Japan.
10月5日，日本琦玉，人们在欣赏鸿巢花火大会。鸿巢花火大会的历史可以追溯到1950年，至今已经成为日本最具规模和影响力的花火大会之一。其中，代表性超大烟花“正四尺玉”以其巨大的规模吸引了大量观众。
Spectators enjoy the Konosu Fireworks Festival in Saitama, Japan, on Oct. 5.
Dating back to 1950, the Konosu Fireworks Festival has grown into one of Japan’s largest and most influential fireworks events. Its iconic giant firework, the “Shō-yon-shaku-dama” (Four-foot Shell), captivates audiences with its impressive scale and grandeur.
10月28日，日本东京，日本各大媒体报道正在进行的众议院选举。在27日举行的日本第50届众议院选举中，日本自民党和公明党组成的执政联盟未能获得众议院过半数席位。
Major Japanese media outlets cover the ongoing House of Representatives election on Oct. 28.
In the 50th House of Representatives election held on October 27, the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito failed to secure a majority of seats in the lower house.
12月6日，日本东京，正在建设中的晴海人工岛。
该区域的填海工程始于20世纪初，但真正成为一个重要的开发项目是在1970年代。随着东京湾周边的土地逐渐饱和，东京市政府决定利用海洋资源建设新的城市岛屿。晴海岛在2020年东京奥运会期间作为奥运村的核心区域之一，成为一些重要体育赛事和住宿设施的所在地。东京奥运会后，部分设施被转为长期居住和商业用途。
Photo taken on Dec. 6 shows the under constructing Harumi artificial island in Tokyo, Japan.
Land reclamation in this area began in the early 20th century, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that it became a significant development project. As land around Tokyo Bay grew increasingly scarce, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government decided to utilize marine resources to create new urban islands.
Harumi Island served as a key area during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, functioning as the Olympic Village and hosting several important events and accommodation facilities. After the Olympics, some of these facilities were repurposed for long-term residential and commercial use.
12月17日，日本福井县常山酒厂，工人将刚蒸好的米装篮称重。联合国教科文组织于2024年12月4日将日本的“日本使用米麹菌酿酒的传统知识和技能”列入非物质文化遗产名录。日本的“传统酿酒技艺”是指包括清酒(Sake)、烧酒(Shochu)、泡盛(Awamori)等多种传统酒类的酿造方法。这些技艺结合了当地自然条件、传统工艺以及独特的发酵技术。
Workers weigh baskets of freshly steamed rice at the Jozan Sake Brewery.On Dec. 4, 2024, UNESCO added Japan’s “Traditional knowledge and skills of sake-making with koji mold” to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Japanese alcoholic beverages, including sake(nihonshu) shochu and awamori are made from grains and water that is deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Craftspeople use koji mould to convert the starch in the ingredients into sugar. They oversee the process to make sure the mould grows in optimal conditions, adjusting the temperature and humidity as needed. Their work determines the quality of the sake. Viewed as a sacred gift from deities, sake is indispensable in festivals, weddings, rites of passage and other socio-cultural occasions. Although it is mass-produced today, craftspeople continue to make sake the traditional way.