Mai Takahashi (R) and her friend arm wrestle during a "Street Arm" event on a pedestrian street in the shopping district of Sendai, Miyagi prefecture October 8, 2011. Organized several times a year, "Street Arm" helps spread awareness of the sport as well as amp up weekend nightlife.
Uniting people is especially vital in Japan's disaster-hit northeast. In Sendai, the nearest big city to the epicentre of the massive March 11 quake, the downtown area survived relatively unscathed but the coastal areas suffered major tsunami damage. Picture taken October 8, 2011. REUTERS/Christopher Gallagher (JAPAN - Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY)