Kimono- first day of trading in 2008 in Tokyo

Kimono-wearing employees of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) await the beginning of a ceremony marking the first day of trading in 2008 in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday, Jan. 4, 2008. Japanese stocks fell, with the Topix index having its worst New Year opening, after U.S. economic reports pointed to increasing chances of a recession, and the yen climbed to the highest in a month versus the dollar

Businessmen attend a ceremony to pray for a good business year at the Kanda shrine in Tokyo's central business district on the first business day after the New Year holidays, 04 January 2008. The Tokyo Stock Exchange's benchmark Nikkei-225 index fell 616.37 points in a holiday shortened session to end at 14,691.41.

Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) workers, dressed in Kimono, join the ceremonial handclapping to start the first trading after the new year holidays during ceremony at TSE in Tokyo 04 January 2008. The Tokyo Stock Exchange's benchmark Nikkei-225 index plunged 533.84 points or 3.49 percent to 14,773.94 in the first 15 minutes of early trading of the half-day session.

Kimono-wearing employees of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) await the beginning of a ceremony marking the first day of trading in 2008 in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday, Jan. 4, 2008. Japanese stocks fell, with the Topix index having its worst New Year opening, after U.S. economic reports pointed to increasing chances of a recession, and the yen climbed to the highest in a month versus the dollar