From the S&S archives: Photo gallery: Tokyo's stock exchange, a beehive of coded activity

Surrounded by nearly 100 securities and brokerage firms in the heart of Tokyo's answer to Wall Street stands Japan's first stock exchange.

Celebrating. its centennial last year, the Tokyo Stock Exchange now lists more than 1,400 companies with nearly 190 billion shares. Market value of the shares tops 52 billion yen, or $240 million.

The daily trading sessions are handled by more than 1,600 floor members. A recent day's trading saw nearly 7 million shares change hands.

Business on the trading floor is handled by computers, telephone and a flurry of hand signals which require a code book to decipher.

Pacific Stars and Stripes photographer Chet King spent a few hours on the floor of the exchange recently and recorded these scenes.