TOKYO (Reuters) – The competition at the London Olympics is already guaranteed to be intense but three Japanese gymnasts may have an extra source of motivation as they vie for gold medals: sibling rivalry.

“When it comes to competing, of course I don’t want to lose to the younger two,” grinned Kazuhito Tanaka, 27, referring to his sister Rie and brother Yusuke.

TOKYO, July 3 (Reuters) – The competition at the London
Olympics is already guaranteed to be intense but three Japanese
gymnasts may have an extra source of motivation as they vie for
gold medals: sibling rivalry.

“When it comes to competing, of course I don’t want to lose
to the younger two,” grinned Kazuhito Tanaka, 27, referring to
his sister Rie and brother Yusuke.

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s rhythmic gymnastics team has been in intense training for the London Olympics, and now they are putting on their war paint to get psyched up to compete on the world’s biggest sporting stage.

“After I put on the makeup, it’s like a switch has been turned on for competing,” Airi Hatakeyama, 17, said at an event opened to media to showcase the team’s makeup art and new uniforms.

TOKYO, June 29 (Reuters) – Japan’s rhythmic gymnastics team
has been in intense training for the London Olympics, and now
they are putting on their war paint to get psyched up to compete
on the world’s biggest sporting stage.

“After I put on the makeup, it’s like a switch has been
turned on for competing,” Airi Hatakeyama, 17, said at an event
opened to media to showcase the team’s makeup art and new
uniforms.

CHOSHI, Japan (Reuters) – British adventurer Sarah Outen, part way through a voyage to circle the globe using only human power, is putting the finishing touches to preparations for the toughest challenge of the trip: a record-breaking solo row across the Pacific.

Since she left her home country in April 2011, the 26-year-old has travelled some 17,700 km (11,000 miles) through Europe, Central Asia, China, Russia and Japan by kayak, bicycle and rowing her 6.4-metre (21 ft) boat, Gulliver.

CHOSHI, Japan (Reuters) – British adventurer Sarah Outen, part way through a voyage to circle the globe using only human power, is putting the finishing touches to preparations for the toughest challenge of the trip: a record-breaking solo row across the Pacific.

Since she left her home country in April 2011, the 26-year-old has travelled some 17,700 km (11,000 miles) through Europe, Central Asia, China, Russia and Japan by kayak, bicycle and rowing her 6.4-metre (21 ft) boat, Gulliver.

TOKYO (Reuters) – It’s not quite a yellow submarine, since it’s destined for travel on top of the water, not under it.

But the round yellow pod, christened “Noah” for the maker of the ark, could mean the difference between life and death in the case of another killer earthquake and tsunami like the one that hit Japan seven months ago, said its inventor, Shoji Tanaka.

RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan (Reuters) – When the massive earthquake struck northern Japan on March 11 and triggered a tsunami alarm in her Pacific Coast fishing port, civil servant Takako Suzuki knew exactly where to shelter.

At least, she thought she did.

Suzuki, 40, followed instructions broadcast on loud speakers and headed up to the third floor of the civic centre that her city of Rikuzentakata had designated as a tsunami evacuation point.

RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan (Reuters) – When the massive earthquake struck northern Japan on March 11 and triggered a tsunami alarm in her Pacific Coast fishing port, civil servant Takako Suzuki knew exactly where to shelter.

At least, she thought she did.

Suzuki, 40, followed instructions broadcast on loud speakers and headed up to the third floor of the civic center that her city of Rikuzentakata had designated as a tsunami evacuation point.

RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan, April 3 (Reuters) – When the massive
earthquake struck northern Japan on March 11 and triggered a
tsunami alarm in her Pacific Coast fishing port, civil servant
Takako Suzuki knew exactly where to shelter.

At least, she thought she did.

Suzuki, 40, followed instructions broadcast on loud speakers
and headed up to the third floor of the civic centre that her
city of Rikuzentakata had designated as a tsunami evacuation
point.