Irish Ambassador Anne Barrington (back row, center) poses with Declan Somers (back, left), chairperson of the Irish Network Japan Tokyo; Yoshihiro Tsuchiya (back, right), vice president of the Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce and chairperson of the I Love Ireland Festival 2016 Committee;   members of the Irish music group O'Jizo; and hammered dulcimer player MiMi (front row, second from left), at a press conference announcing St. Patrick's Day events at the Japan National Press Club on Feb. 24. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
Irish Ambassador Anne Barrington (back row, center) poses with Declan Somers (back, left), chairperson of the Irish Network Japan Tokyo; Yoshihiro Tsuchiya (back, right), vice president of the Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce and chairperson of the I Love Ireland Festival 2016 Committee; members of the Irish music group O'Jizo; and hammered dulcimer player MiMi (front row, second from left), at a press conference announcing St. Patrick's Day events at the Japan National Press Club on Feb. 24. | YOSHIAKI MIURA


New Papua New Guinea Honorary Consul for Hokkaido Kazunori Kuribayashi (center) poses with his wife Yukie (left) and Papua New Guinea Ambassador Gabriel Dusava (right), during a commissioning ceremony at the Hotel New Otani in Tokyo on Feb. 24. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
New Papua New Guinea Honorary Consul for Hokkaido Kazunori Kuribayashi (center) poses with his wife Yukie (left) and Papua New Guinea Ambassador Gabriel Dusava (right), during a commissioning ceremony at the Hotel New Otani in Tokyo on Feb. 24. | YOSHIAKI MIURA


Spanish Ambassador Gonzalo de Benito Secades give a talk,
Spanish Ambassador Gonzalo de Benito Secades give a talk, "Spain Today," at a gathering organized by the Japan Spanish Foundation at the Casa de Espana in Shiba, Tokyo on Feb. 23. | THE CASA DE ESPANA


Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo (second from right) is joined by President of the Regional Council of Ile-de-France Valerie Pecresse (third from right); (from left) 2008 France sightseeing goodwill ambassadors TV announcer Christel Takigawa and flower arranger Shogo Kariyazaki; and French Ambassador Thierry Dana at a press conference held to invite Japanese tourists to France, at the Ambassador's residence on Feb. 29. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo (second from right) is joined by President of the Regional Council of Ile-de-France Valerie Pecresse (third from right); (from left) 2008 France sightseeing goodwill ambassadors TV announcer Christel Takigawa and flower arranger Shogo Kariyazaki; and French Ambassador Thierry Dana at a press conference held to invite Japanese tourists to France, at the Ambassador's residence on Feb. 29. | YOSHIAKI MIURA