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Kimimasa Mayama / EPA
Reuters
Grandson spreads veteran's ashes onto Iwo Jima beach
Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate Andrew Thomasson spreads his grandfather's ashes on Iwo Jima's Invasion Beach, Aug. 28, 2012. During the Battle for Iwo Jima, Motor Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Oscar Thomasson's landing craft was destroyed while making its way to the island during the U.S. forces' initial assault. Thomasson ultimately survived the battle and went on to raise a family near Wichita, Kansas. He passed away December 22, 2006 at the age of 80.
Tokyo robot revue drawing crowds to 'Fighting Females' cabaret show
Yuriko Nakao / Reuters
Bikini-clad women operate a 3.6 meter-high custom-made female robot as customers take photos, at the newly opened "Robot Restaurant" in Kabukicho, one of Tokyo's best-known red light districts, on August 16, 2012. Photos made available to NBC News on August 26.
Reuters reports — In a restaurant down an alley in one of Tokyo's best-known red light districts, four massive female robots wink and wave as they lumber to the beat of traditional Japanese drums and a Lady Gaga dance tune.
Each is controlled by two bikini-clad women, who perch in a high seat attached to the robot's stomach and control the facial features and legs using joysticks attached to the seats for the hour-long "Fighting Females" performance. Read the full story.
Yuriko Nakao / Reuters
Dancers perform on a mock tank decorated with lights during the show.
A restaurant in Tokyo features a variety show with 12-foot-tall robots that took more than three years and $126 million to create. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
Compare and contrast war games in Japan, Israel and North Korea
Koji Sasahara / AP
A line of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force tanks flare up a smoke screen during the annual live-firing exercise and demonstration at Higashi Fuji training range in Gotemba, southwest of Tokyo, on August 21, 2012.
Abir Sultan / EPA
An Israeli soldier is seen in the dust during a military exercise in the Golan Heights, northern Israel, on August 21, 2012. Israeli Armed Forces have been conducting manoeuvers amid rising tensions in the region.
KCNA via Reuters
Members of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards, the civilian forces of North Korea, train in an undisclosed location on August 20, 2012, in this picture released by the official KCNA news agency on August 21, 2012.
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Huge crowds greet Japan's Olympic athletes
Kyodo News via AP
People pack the central intersection of Tokyo's Ginza shopping district as Japanese Olympic medalists and athletes who competed in the London Games aboard double-decker buses parade through the main street Monday, Aug. 20.
Jiji Press / AFP - Getty Images
Japan's women's badminton doubles silver medallists Mizuki Fujii, left, and Reika Kakiiwa, wave to the crowds from an open-top bus during a parade for Japan's 2012 London Olympic Games medallists in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district on Aug. 20.
The Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) held the first ever Olympic medallists parade hoping it will boost the city's bid to host the 2020 Summer Games.
Reuters reports: Japan's Olympic medallists brought downtown Tokyo to a standstill on Monday in an open-top bus victory parade witnessed by around 500,000 flag and fan-waving supporters.
The convoy of five buses caused gridlock as fans and shoppers in Tokyo's upmarket Ginza district help celebrate Japan's record haul of 38 medals (seven gold, 14 silver and 17 bronze) at the London Olympics. Full story.
Japan arrests Chinese activists on disputed isle
Masataka Morita / AP
A boat, center, is surrounded by Japan Cost Guard's patrol boats after some activists descended from the boat on Uotsuri Island, one of the islands of Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese, in East China Sea Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012.
Reuters reports: Japan is considering deporting 14 Chinese activists arrested over their landing on a disputed island as soon as Friday in a move that could defuse a worsening feud between Tokyo and Beijing, Japanese media reported on Thursday.
The activists, seven of whom landed on Wednesday on the rocky, uninhabited isle in the East China Sea claimed by both nations, have been transferred to Okinawa for questioning by police on Thursday morning, public broadcaster NHK said. Continue reading the full story.
Jiji Press / AFP - Getty Images
A Hong Kong man one of the pro-China activists that landed on the disputed island known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. EDITORS NOTE---- HANDCUFFS HAVE BEEN PIXELATED BY SOURCE JIJI PRESS
Masataka Morita / AP
Activists holding Chinese and Taiwanese flags are arrested by Japanese police officers after landing on Uotsuri Island on Wednesday.
Japan minister's visit to war shrine sparks controversy
Koji Sasahara / AP
Doves are released in prayer of perpetual peace by worshippers at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. Japan marked the 67th anniversary of its World War II surrender with a somber memorial led by its emperor and other commemorations. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
Issei Kato / Reuters
A man dressed as a Japanese imperial army soldier stands at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo August 15, 2012, on the 67th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.
Yoshikazu Tsuno / AFP - Getty Images
Japanese Land and Transport Minister Yuichiro Hata (L) and fellow lawmakers visit the controversial Yasukuni shrine to honor the dead on the 67th anniversary of Japan's surrender from World War II, in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Reuters reports: A Japanese cabinet member paid homage at a controversial shrine for war dead on Wednesday -- the 67th anniversary of Tokyo's defeat in World War Two -- a move likely to further strain relations with China and South Korea.
Bitter memories of Japanese militarism run deep in China and South Korea and, despite close economic ties, relations with Beijing and Seoul have become increasingly fraught recently.
Bickering over rival territorial claims to rocky, uninhabited islands are the latest sign of how the region has yet to resolve differences over its past. Continue reading the full story.
Jason Lee / Reuters
Protesters hold a Chinese national flag and banners reading "Japan get out of Diaoyu islands" and "declare war against Japan" during an anti-Japan protest to mark the 67th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War Two, outside the Japanese embassy in Beijing August 15, 2012.
Flash flood hits western Japan
AP
A man looks into a car submerged in flood waters caused by heavy rains in Neyagawa city, western Japan, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012. Torrential rains struck wide areas in western Japan on Tuesday.
The Apprentice: Memoirs of a Chinese geisha wannabe in Japan
Reuters
Chinese geisha trainee Rinka, born as Zhang Xue in Shenyang, China, puts on makeup at a geisha school in the port town of Shimoda, Japan on Aug. 3, 2012.
Reuters - It takes Rinka at least two hours to apply her thick white makeup and get dressed in an elaborate kimono on formal occasions, as is typical of most trainee geisha.
But 29-year-old Rinka is different. She is a Chinese national hoping to take her place among the ranks of Japan's ancient but fading profession of female entertainers known for their beauty, skill at traditional arts and witty conversation.
Born in Shenyang, China, she grew up as Zhang Xue before moving to Japan at the age of 14, one of only a handful of foreigners to try to join the geisha ranks. Read More
Reuters
Chinese geisha trainee Rinka affixes a wig as her 72-year-old geisha matron Kanoya assists her in the port town of Shimoda, Japan on Aug. 3.
Reuters
Chinese geisha trainee Rinka lights candles before a summer festival near her geisha school building in the port town of Shimoda, Japan on Aug. 3.
A moment of true sportsmanship, as Japan consoles a defeated France
Christophe Simon / AFP - Getty Images
France's Camille Abilly looks on as Japan celebrates their victory at the end of their women's football semi final Japan vs France event at Wembley stadium during the London 2012 Olympic Games on Aug. 6, in London. Japan won 2-1.
Damir Sagolj / Reuters
France's Camille Abilly is consoled by a player from Japan after Japan defeated France in the women's semi-final soccer match at Wembley Stadium in London at the London Olympic Games, on Aug. 6.
Christophe Simon / AFP - Getty Images
Japan's Aya Miyama chats with dejected France player Camille Abilly at the end of their women's football semi final Japan vs France event at Wembley stadium during the London 2012 Olympic Games on Aug. 6, in London.
It is not often you see players of opposing teams going out of their way to console one another after a game has ended. Their interaction is usually limited to a friendly handshake or pat on the back.
These images of Japan's Aya Miyama comforting France's Camille Abilly, after Japan defeated France 2-1 in a close semi-final match, stood out from other post-game reaction photos. While we have no way of knowing what words were exchanged between the players (and we can only assume there was a bit of a language barrier between them), their body language speaks for itself. It is clear Miyama took time to try and comfort the distraught Abilly, and Abilly seems to eventually accept her kind gesture.
In such intense competitions, where emotions run high with adrenaline, it is reassuring to know that these Olympians are not only extraordinary athletes, but show true sportsmanship as well.
Editor's note: This post has been updated to correctly identify the Japanese player consoling France's Abilly. It is actually midfielder Aya Miyama, not Azusa Iwashimizu.
Related links:
- Japan holds off France for 2-1 women's soccer semifinal victory
- Roger Federer defeats Juan Martin del Potro in longest-ever Olympic tennis match
- Gabby Douglas gets the gold at the Olympic games
- Phelps beats Lochte in 200 IM in final duel
- Photographing the Olympic athletes at 14 frames per second
- Boris Johnson, London mayor, stuck on a zip line
Damir Sagolj / Reuters
France's Camille Abilly is consoled by Japan's Aya Miyama, after Japan defeated France in the women's semi-final soccer match at Wembley Stadium in London at the London Olympic Games, on Aug. 6.
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Click for more from the 2012 summer games in London.
Ceremonies mark 67th anniversary of Hiroshima atomic bomb attack
Kimimasa Mayama / EPA
A survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bomb offers a prayer for victims of the world's first atomic bombing at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, western Japan, on August 6, 2012.
Arata Yamamoto, NBC News reports from Tokyo — As dignitaries from 71 countries joined a crowd of 50,000 on Monday to mark the 67th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bomb attack, Japanese officials vowed to revamp energy policies in the wake of the devastating Fukushima nuclear accident.
On Aug. 6, 1945, about 140,000 people were killed by an American atomic bomb that hastened the end of World War II. Another blast in Nagasaki three days later killed 70,000 more. Read the full story.
Yasuyoshi Chiba / AFP - Getty Images
Paper lantern floats are released into the water during a ceremony for the victims of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima at Ibirapuera park in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 5, 2012. The ceremony was synchronized at the same time as 8:15 am Japanese time - the hour that the bomb exploded over Hiroshima 67 years ago. According to the Brazil Hibakusha Association for Peace, 115 victims are said to live in Brazil.
A peaceful gathering in Hiroshima, Japan, as the city commemorates the 67th anniversary of the atomic bomb that was dropped there during World War II. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
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Toru Yamanaka / AFP - Getty Images
A city filled with half a million sunflowers
A woman walks amongst sunflowers during the Sunflower Festival in Zama, Japan on July 31, 2012. More than half a million sunflowers will attract visitors until the middle of August at several venues in the city.