London, December 30 : Japanese authorities have warned tourists against "harassing" the country's famous kimono-clad geisha - meaning "person of the arts" - in the streets of the ancient city of Kyoto.

The move follows complaints from a large number of geisha that tourists keen to click their pictures often pursue them down the street, and tug them on the sleeves of heir kimonos

Local residents and businesses are said to have joined forces to prevent the geisha from harassment, launching patrols of the streets of the Gion entertainment district of the city so that tourists cannot pester them.

Tokyo  - Japan'

Tokyo - Japan's markets shed value Monday mo

Tokyo - Japan's markets shed value Monday morn

Sydney  - A protest boat claimed Sunday to be successfully hounding the Japanese fleet on its annual whale hunt out of Antarctic waters.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's ship the Steve Irwin - named after the Australian conservationist killed by a stingray's barb - has been following the Japanese fleet for about a week, ABC Radio reported.

Tokyo  - Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso ordered a probe into the possibility of having the Japanese navy join the international fight against piracy off the Somalia coast, news reports said.

Aso asked Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada to look into having Japan's Self-Defence Forces join the anti-piracy mission, the Jiji Press news agency said.