In Japan, a sprightly 94-year-old fights election battle  TOKYO
Thu Dec 13, 2012 3:28am EST  1 of 2. Ryokichi Kawashima, a
94-year-old parliamentary election candidate, speaks in front of
his election campaign poster on a street during an interview
with Reuters in Hanyu, north of Tokyo December 12, 2012.
Kawashima took 3 million yen ($36,400) from the sum saved for
his funeral and just three hours before the deadline, he became
the oldest contender for Sunday's election to the lower house of
parliament. Picture taken December 12. To match story JAPAN-
ELECTIONS/CANDIDATE  Credit: Reuters/Ruairidh Villar  Related
Video  Related Topics  TOKYO (Reuters) - When Ryokichi Kawashima
burst into a Tokyo city office to register as a candidate in
Japan's parliamentary election, the woman behind the counter
first froze, then stuttered: "Are you serious?"  He was.
Kawashima had just taken 3 million yen ($36,400) from the sum
saved for his funeral and at 94, and just three hours before the
deadline, he became the oldest con