Chocolates fly off the shelves in Japan

Japanese women jostled feverishly for elbow room at stores on Friday to buy Valentine's Day chocolates for the men in their lives - guys who do sweet nothing in return.

While the ladies splurge on the object of their desire - as well as friends, colleagues and bosses - men simply wait for the goodies to pour in on Feb 14 and gorge to their heart's content.

It is a far cry from the Western version of Valentine's Day with its saucy commercials featuring handsome hunks swooping in to leave a box of chocolates on a lover's bed.