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Geiko and maiko visit Inoue Yachiyo (1st L), master of Japanese traditional dance school, during an annual gratitude event for the past year and best wishes for New Year on December 13, 2019 in Kyoto, Japan. The annual ritual is called “Kotohajime”, and is the start of preparation for the new year. (Photo by The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images)

Geiko and maiko visit Inoue Yachiyo (1st L), master of Japanese traditional dance school, during an annual gratitude event for the past year and best wishes for New Year on December 13, 2019 in Kyoto, Japan. The annual ritual is called “Kotohajime”, and is the start of preparation for the new year. (Photo by The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images)



A man walks in front of Tokyo Renovation Museum in Tokyo, Tuesday, December 24, 2019. (Photo by Koji Sasahara/AP Photo)

A man walks in front of Tokyo Renovation Museum in Tokyo, Tuesday, December 24, 2019. (Photo by Koji Sasahara/AP Photo)



A robot dog AlienGo performs during the International Robot Exhibition 2019 (iREX2019) in Tokyo, Japan on December 21, 2019. The IREX is the largest robot trade fair in the world and shows new robots and high technology equipment from 637 companies and organisations. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/Zuma Press/Rex Fetures/Shutterstock)

A robot dog AlienGo performs during the International Robot Exhibition 2019 (iREX2019) in Tokyo, Japan on December 21, 2019. The IREX is the largest robot trade fair in the world and shows new robots and high technology equipment from 637 companies and organisations. (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin/Zuma Press/Rex Fetures/Shutterstock)



Well-wishers queue to enter the Imperial Palace ahead of a New Year's greeting by Emperor Naruhito of Japan on January 2, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

Well-wishers queue to enter the Imperial Palace ahead of a New Year's greeting by Emperor Naruhito of Japan on January 2, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)



Residents preparing for the yearend in west of Tokyo are walking cross the road with view of Japan's highest peak Mount Fuji and the sky reflected by the sinking sun is visible from west of Tokyo, Japan, 27 December 2019. The active volcano, at​ 3,776 meters high, is located about 85km west of the western town of Tokyo. (Photo by Kimimasa Mayama/EPA/EFE)

Residents preparing for the yearend in west of Tokyo are walking cross the road with view of Japan's highest peak Mount Fuji and the sky reflected by the sinking sun is visible from west of Tokyo, Japan, 27 December 2019. The active volcano, at​ 3,776 meters high, is located about 85km west of the western town of Tokyo. (Photo by Kimimasa Mayama/EPA/EFE)



Revellers release balloons as they take part in New Year countdown event in Tokyo, Japan, January 1, 2020. (Photo by Issei Kato/Reuters)

Revellers release balloons as they take part in New Year countdown event in Tokyo, Japan, January 1, 2020. (Photo by Issei Kato/Reuters)



Worshipers carry a “mikoshi” or portable shrine in the sea during a festival to wish for calm waters in the ocean and good fortune in the new year in Oiso, Kanagawa prefecture, west of Tokyo, Japan, January 1, 2020. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)

Worshipers carry a “mikoshi” or portable shrine in the sea during a festival to wish for calm waters in the ocean and good fortune in the new year in Oiso, Kanagawa prefecture, west of Tokyo, Japan, January 1, 2020. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)



Workers clean the bullet-proofed balcony prior to Japan's Emperor Naruhito's public appearance with his imperial families at Imperial Palace in Tokyo Thursday, January 2, 2020. (Photo by Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo)

Workers clean the bullet-proofed balcony prior to Japan's Emperor Naruhito's public appearance with his imperial families at Imperial Palace in Tokyo Thursday, January 2, 2020. (Photo by Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo)



Workers wearing a pig and rat costume clean windows on a building in Tokyo on December 19, 2019. Much of Asia and the world celebrated the Lunar New Year of the Pig in 2019 and will welcome in the Year of the Rat in early 2020. (Photo by Charly Triballeau/AFP Photo)

Workers wearing a pig and rat costume clean windows on a building in Tokyo on December 19, 2019. Much of Asia and the world celebrated the Lunar New Year of the Pig in 2019 and will welcome in the Year of the Rat in early 2020. (Photo by Charly Triballeau/AFP Photo)



Employees for Kiyomura Corp., a Tokyo-based operator of sushi restaurant chain Sushizanmai, dismantle a bluefin tuna the company bought for 193.2 million yen (1.8 million USD) at auction at their main restaurant in Tokyo on January 5, 2020. Kiyomura Corp. made the winning bid of 1.8 million USD for a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna caught off Oma, Aomori prefecture at the first auction of the year earlier in the day at Tososu fish market. (Photo by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP Photo)

Employees for Kiyomura Corp., a Tokyo-based operator of sushi restaurant chain Sushizanmai, dismantle a bluefin tuna the company bought for 193.2 million yen (1.8 million USD) at auction at their main restaurant in Tokyo on January 5, 2020. Kiyomura Corp. made the winning bid of 1.8 million USD for a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna caught off Oma, Aomori prefecture at the first auction of the year earlier in the day at Tososu fish market. (Photo by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP Photo)



A sushi chef holds up the head of a bluefin tuna at a restaurant in Tsukji market area in Tokyo, Sunday, January 5, 2020, after it was sold at the first auction of 2020 at Tokyo's Toyosu fish market. The tuna was sold 193.2 million yen (1.8 million US dollars) Sunday. (Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)

A sushi chef holds up the head of a bluefin tuna at a restaurant in Tsukji market area in Tokyo, Sunday, January 5, 2020, after it was sold at the first auction of 2020 at Tokyo's Toyosu fish market. The tuna was sold 193.2 million yen (1.8 million US dollars) Sunday. (Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)



Kiyoshi Kimura (L), president of Kiyomura Corp., the Tokyo-based operator of sushi restaurant chain Sushizanmai, looks on as employees slice up a bluefin tuna the company bought for 193.2 million yen (1.8 million USD) at auction at his main restaurant in Tokyo on January 5, 2020. Kiyomura Corp. made the winning bid of 1.8 million USD for a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna caught off Oma, Aomori prefecture at the first auction of the year earlier in the day at Tososu fish market. (Photo by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP Photo)

Kiyoshi Kimura (L), president of Kiyomura Corp., the Tokyo-based operator of sushi restaurant chain Sushizanmai, looks on as employees slice up a bluefin tuna the company bought for 193.2 million yen (1.8 million USD) at auction at his main restaurant in Tokyo on January 5, 2020. Kiyomura Corp. made the winning bid of 1.8 million USD for a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna caught off Oma, Aomori prefecture at the first auction of the year earlier in the day at Tososu fish market. (Photo by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP Photo)



President Kiyoshi Kimora and staff of Japanese sushi chain Sushi-Zanmai cut a piece of the 278 kilogram Bluefin tuna fish during the New Year 2019 first auction of the Toyosu Market at his head restaurant at Tsukiji in Tokyo, Japan, 05 January 2019. Kimura offered 333,600,000 Japanese yen, around 2.7 million euros, for the tuna on the Toyosu market, thus paying a new maximum price. (Photo by Kimimasa Mayama/EPA/EFE)

President Kiyoshi Kimora and staff of Japanese sushi chain Sushi-Zanmai cut a piece of the 278 kilogram Bluefin tuna fish during the New Year 2019 first auction of the Toyosu Market at his head restaurant at Tsukiji in Tokyo, Japan, 05 January 2019. Kimura offered 333,600,000 Japanese yen, around 2.7 million euros, for the tuna on the Toyosu market, thus paying a new maximum price. (Photo by Kimimasa Mayama/EPA/EFE)



A man looks at an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index at a securities firm in Tokyo Tuesday, January 14, 2020. Asian shares followed Wall Street higher on Tuesday amid optimism that a trade deal between the U.S. and China will be a boon for the regional economy. (Photo by Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo)

A man looks at an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index at a securities firm in Tokyo Tuesday, January 14, 2020. Asian shares followed Wall Street higher on Tuesday amid optimism that a trade deal between the U.S. and China will be a boon for the regional economy. (Photo by Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo)



Welding robots work on a car at the Nachi booth during the International Robot Exhibition (IREX) in Tokyo, Japan, 18 December 2019. More than 630 companies and organizations will present their latest robot technologies until 21 December. (Photo by Franck Robichon/EPA/EFE)

Welding robots work on a car at the Nachi booth during the International Robot Exhibition (IREX) in Tokyo, Japan, 18 December 2019. More than 630 companies and organizations will present their latest robot technologies until 21 December. (Photo by Franck Robichon/EPA/EFE)



A shinto musician is assisted by his colleagues to purify himself prior to a ritual to mark the end of the year and prepare for the new one at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, 31 December 2019. About three million people visit the shrine during the first three days of the year to pray for their health, prosperity, happiness and world peace. (Photo by Kimimasa Mayama/EPA/EFE/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

A shinto musician is assisted by his colleagues to purify himself prior to a ritual to mark the end of the year and prepare for the new one at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, 31 December 2019. About three million people visit the shrine during the first three days of the year to pray for their health, prosperity, happiness and world peace. (Photo by Kimimasa Mayama/EPA/EFE/Rex Features/Shutterstock)



Employees riding on Winglet personal mobility devices look at an HSR robot moving inside the Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development (TRI-AD) head office in Nihonbashi Muromachi Mitsui Tower on December 17, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. TRI-AD, jointly established by Toyota Motor Corp., Aisin Seiki Co., and Denso Corp. to develop software for automated driving, opened its head office in the Nihonbashi area of Tokyo in July and the facility became fully operational this month. (Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)

Employees riding on Winglet personal mobility devices look at an HSR robot moving inside the Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development (TRI-AD) head office in Nihonbashi Muromachi Mitsui Tower on December 17, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. TRI-AD, jointly established by Toyota Motor Corp., Aisin Seiki Co., and Denso Corp. to develop software for automated driving, opened its head office in the Nihonbashi area of Tokyo in July and the facility became fully operational this month. (Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)



A man holds an ice brick after praying in ice-cold water in a ceremony to purify his soul and wish for good health in the new year at the Teppozu Inari shrine in Tokyo, Japan, January 12, 2020. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)

A man holds an ice brick after praying in ice-cold water in a ceremony to purify his soul and wish for good health in the new year at the Teppozu Inari shrine in Tokyo, Japan, January 12, 2020. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)



Sixteen-year-old sea lion “Leo” writes the Chinese character for rat ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year at Hakkeijima Sea Paradise in Yokohama, suburban Tokyo, December 26, 2019. Much of Asia and the world celebrated the Lunar New Year of the Pig in 2019 and will welcome in the Year of the Rat in January 2020. (Photo by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP Photo)

Sixteen-year-old sea lion “Leo” writes the Chinese character for rat ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year at Hakkeijima Sea Paradise in Yokohama, suburban Tokyo, December 26, 2019. Much of Asia and the world celebrated the Lunar New Year of the Pig in 2019 and will welcome in the Year of the Rat in January 2020. (Photo by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP Photo)



A man stands in front of a poster created by artist Tomoko Konoike, one of 20 posters officially selected for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo Monday, January 6, 2020. The official posters are out for this year's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The 20 posters have been created by 19 artists in fields ranging from painting, graphic design, and photography. Calligraphy and Japanese manga are also represented. (Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)

A man stands in front of a poster created by artist Tomoko Konoike, one of 20 posters officially selected for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo Monday, January 6, 2020. The official posters are out for this year's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The 20 posters have been created by 19 artists in fields ranging from painting, graphic design, and photography. Calligraphy and Japanese manga are also represented. (Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)



Artists wearing Japanese traditional clown masks stand for marching during the Konpira Festival at Kotohiragu shrine in Toranomon business district of Tokyo Friday, January 10, 2020. The shrine is dedicated to sailors and seafaring. (Photo by Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo)

Artists wearing Japanese traditional clown masks stand for marching during the Konpira Festival at Kotohiragu shrine in Toranomon business district of Tokyo Friday, January 10, 2020. The shrine is dedicated to sailors and seafaring. (Photo by Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo)



Kimono-clad women who celebrate turning 20 years old gather following a Coming of Age ceremony at Toshimaen amusement park in Tokyo, on Coming of Age Day, Monday, January 13, 2020. Held annually on the second Monday of January, Coming of Age Day is a special time for these young adults. (Photo by Koji Sasahara/AP Photo)

Kimono-clad women who celebrate turning 20 years old gather following a Coming of Age ceremony at Toshimaen amusement park in Tokyo, on Coming of Age Day, Monday, January 13, 2020. Held annually on the second Monday of January, Coming of Age Day is a special time for these young adults. (Photo by Koji Sasahara/AP Photo)
21 Jan 2020 00:05:00