The Yomiuri International Cartoon Contest

Shinji Iwamoto, who runs an illustration studio in Omuta, Fukuoka Prefecture, won the Grand Prize in the 29th Yomiuri International Cartoon Contest.

This year's contest--held under the theme "Teeth"--attracted 6,674 entries from 77 countries and regions.

Cartoonists in the General Division were permitted to enter the theme section or free section. The contest also included a Junior Division.

Of 5,294 entries in the General Division, 3,972 were submitted to the theme section and 1,322 to the free section.

Iwamoto, 52, will receive the award and prize money of 2 million yen, at a ceremony at The Yomiuri Shimbun's Tokyo head office on Jan. 30.

Second place in the General Division went to Joruju Piroshiki, 42, from Taito Ward, Tokyo, who was chosen as the winner of the Hidezo Kondo Prize, with prize money of 1.5 million yen. The prize was named after the famed late political cartoonist.

Ichiro Suzuki, 49, from Higashi-Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, won the Gold Prize in the Theme Section, and Masaaki Otsuka from Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, in the Free Section. Suzuki and Otsuka will receive 500,000 yen each.

The five winners of the Selection Committee's Special Prize will receive 200,000 yen each, and 14 recipients of the Excellent Prize will collect 100,000 yen each. Junior Section winners will receive book coupons.

Over the years, the Grand Prize has been awarded to Japanese contestants 12 times, twice to Brazilian, Iranian, Romanian and Thai contestants, and once to Yugoslav, Chinese, German, Belgian, Belarusian, Slovak and Turkish contestants.

This year's prizewinning cartoons will be on display at Kawasaki City Museum in Musashikosugi, Nakahara Ward, Kawasaki, from Feb. 23 to March 23. The museum will be closed on Mondays and March 21.

They can also be seen on the Yomiuri Online Web site (http//info.yomiuri.co.jp/prize/cartoon/).