菅首相ら「変わり羽子板」に　将棋の藤井二冠や半沢直樹も―東京

　今年一年に話題となった人物を描いた恒例の「変わり羽子板」が３日、人形専門店「久月」本社（東京都台東区）で披露された。
　計７点が制作され、９月に就任した菅義偉首相、米大統領選で大接戦を展開したバイデン氏、トランプ大統領ら９人がお目見え。史上最年少の１８歳で棋聖、王位のタイトルを獲得した将棋の藤井聡太二冠も選ばれた。
　今年の「顔」には他にも、人気ドラマ「半沢直樹」で主役を演じた俳優の堺雅人さんらが登場。新型コロナウイルスの影響で苦境に立たされたスポーツ界では、白血病から復帰した競泳の池江璃花子選手が選出された。（2020/12/03-10:17）

Traditional Japanese doll maker Kyugetsu Co. unveiled Thursday colorful "hagoita" wooden paddles featuring nine people who attracted widespread public attention this year, including Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
   Hagoita paddles are used in "hanetsuki," a traditional Japanese game that is similar to badminton and played mainly during the New Year holidays.
   This year, a total of seven hagoita were produced for the routine exhibition, with the people adorning the paddles other than Suga, who took office in September, including U.S. President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden, who faced off in a close presidential election, and professional shogi player Sota Fujii, the youngest-ever holder of any two of the eight major titles for the Japanese board game.
   Also appearing on the paddles are Masato Sakai, the actor for the leading role in hit television drama "Hanzawa Naoki," and swimmer Rikako Ikee, who returned to competition after a battle with leukemia.
   "We struggled with the selection of people for this year's hagoita as the year began with the coronavirus, but I am glad we were able to reveal them," Kyugetsu board director Susumu Watanabe, 66, said. "We put into the paddles our wishes that the coronavirus epidemic will end as soon as possible and cheerful topics will increase next year."