Here is a selection of Kyodo News photos taken this week in Japan and beyond.

Nov. 11

The "blue pond" in Hokkaido's Biei, famous for its otherworldly blue color, is lit up for the winter sightseeing season. It is believed that the pond looks blue as a result of aluminum particles, which reflect light, in water flowing into it. (Kyodo)
 
Japan wins the women's team pursuit for the first time in four seasons at a World Cup speed skating event as Miho Takagi, Ayano Sato and Momoka Horikawa bag gold at the season-opening meet in Obihiro, Hokkaido. (Kyodo)
 

Nov. 12

The beloved Hachiko dog statue in front of Tokyo's Shibuya Station is showcased in a pop-up bedroom art installation for one day, drawing crowds to the rare view of the loyal canine resting "indoors." Hachiko is seen sitting on a blanket laid on top of a bed, with a food bowl, magazines and a sofa nearby. (Kyodo)
 
The 1,068-meter Kammon Bridge connecting Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture, on the western tip of Japan's main island of Honshu, and Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, on the southwestern main island of Kyushu, is illuminated ahead of its 50th anniversary of opening. (Kyodo)

Nov. 13

The United Nations flag is lowered to half-mast at the world body's headquarters in New York to honor U.N. staff members killed in Gaza. (Kyodo)
 
The Japanese yen sinks further against the U.S. dollar, nearing its lowest level in about 33 years on rising prospects of a wider interest rate disparity between the two countries. (Kyodo)
 
Maple leaves in autumn colors are lit up along with World Heritage site Byodoin Temple's Phoenix Hall in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, ahead of its limited-time night illumination event. (Kyodo)
 

Nov. 14

Former Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki strikes his signature pose next to a life-size figure of him during an apparel company's press event in Tokyo. (Kyodo)
 
The chairman of Japan's all-female musical theater company Takarazuka Revue says he will step down over the recent death of one of its actresses, who a lawyer said committed suicide due to overwork and bullying within her troupe. (Kyodo)
 
Former world No. 1 Kento Momota of Japan competes in the men's singles qualification round of the Kumamoto Masters Japan badminton tournament in Kumamoto. (Kyodo)

Nov. 15

The U.S. Marines set up a littoral regiment in Okinawa capable of a flexible and rapid response to bolster the defense of remote islands in southwestern Japan amid China's increased military assertiveness at sea. (Kyodo)
 
Japan saw an estimated 2,516,500 foreign visitors in October, up 0.8 percent from the same month in 2019, the first time the monthly figure has surpassed levels seen before the coronavirus outbreak, government data shows. (Kyodo)
 
Iconic Japanese filmmaker and comedian Takeshi Kitano holds a press conference in Tokyo ahead of the release of his upcoming movie "Kubi." He said the country's entertainment industry has always tended to treat performers as commodities, with its traditional hierarchical structure often facilitating abuse of power. (Kyodo)

Nov. 16

A car crashes into a barricade set up near the Israeli Embassy in Tokyo, injuring a riot police officer who was on guard amid heightened security due to the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to police. (Kyodo)
 
Hundreds of thousands of South Korean students sit for the nation's college entrance exam. Younger students rooted for test-takers in front of a test site in Seoul. (Kyodo)
 
Shoko Kawata, who became Japan's youngest female mayor at age 33 after winning Sunday's election in Yawata, Kyoto Prefecture, holds a news conference on her first day in office. (Kyodo)

Nov. 17

Locals show their excitement at news of hometown hero Shohei Ohtani winning his second American League MVP award during a public viewing event held at the city office in Oshu in Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan. (Kyodo)

The season's first auction of salted herring roe, a popular delicacy for the Japanese New Year, is held at a wholesale market in Osaka, western Japan. (Kyodo)

Back number:

Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - Nov. 4~10

Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - Oct. 28~Nov. 3

Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - Oct. 21~27