The monthly photojournalism magazine Days Japan is currently exhibiting award-winning images from its 2nd International Photojournalism Awards at the Konica Minolta Plaza in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The exhibition, titled "Living on Earth 2006," runs through June 19.

Renowned 63-year-old photojournalist Ryuichi Hirokawa, best known for his images from Palestine and Chernobyl, launched Days Japan on March 20, 2004, a year after the United States invaded Iraq, in response "to the burgeoning demand for quality reporting from the world's war fronts and conflicts." The magazine soon drew the attention of readers, including many non-journalists, confounding widespread expectations that there was no market in Japan for a hard-hitting, serious photojournal publication.

At the same time, Hirokawa started to expand his activities, publishing international editions of the photojournal in English and, in 2005, establishing the International Photo Journalism Awards. In its first year, there were more than 3,000 entries, while this year's event has seen 5,300 submissions from all over the world. The winning entry this year, titled "India's Invisible Women" by Ruhani Kaur, focuses on female infanticide in India.

This year's three-part exhibition features 70 award-winning pictures from this year's competition, as well as 40 selected pictures from past issues of Days Japan, including images by leading war photographers James Nachtwey and the late Robert Capa. The exhibition also brings together 30 selected pictures on the themes of nature and human reportage.

Days Japan's maxim is "A single photograph has the power to change the course of a nation." You can put this to the test for yourself by going to see this compelling show.

"Living on the Earth 2006" runs till June 19, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. (till 3 p.m. on the final day), at the Konica Minolta Plaza Gallery, a 3-minute walk from JR Shinjuku Station's East Exit. Admission is free.

For more details, visit www.daysjapan.net