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A Joint Memorial Service by the Cabinet and Liberal Democratic Party for the Late Mr. Kiichi Miyazawa was held at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.
The memorial service was attended by about 2,600 people, including the people related to the imperial family, as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the House of Councillors, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, representatives of the political and business communities, special envoys for the mourning from 146 countries, and ambassadors posted in Tokyo. Participants paid their respects to former Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, who passed away on June 28 at the age of 87.
His remains arrived at two o'clock in the afternoon with the bereaved family members and were enshrined under the altar. After the opening address by Mr. Kaoru Yosano, the Chief Cabinet Secretary, participants observed a minute of silent prayer, which was followed by the screening of images of Mr. Miyazawa in life shown in his memory.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, chairing the committee for the memorial service, said in his mourning oration, "Mr. Miyazawa used to always say that the Prime Minister's job is like taking the helm of a large ship called Japan, who should start steering toward the harbor far in advance. He contributed to world peace and prosperity with his wisdom and excellent foresight, and showed the path for Japan to follow in the 21st century. I pledge to make all possible efforts to build a new nation that can withstand the raging waves for the next 50 to 100 years to come, bearing in mind the importance of peace, freedom and prosperity, which Mr. Miyazawa strived to realize."
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