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Joint Memorial Service by the Cabinet and Liberal Democratic Party for the Late Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto Tuesday, August 8, 2006 JAPANESE A Joint Memorial Service by the Cabinet and Liberal Democratic Party for the Late Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto was held at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. The memorial service was attended by about 4,600 people, including His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince of Japan and 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 143 countries, and ambassadors posted in Tokyo. Participants paid their respects to former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, who passed away on July 1 at the age of 68. His remains arrived at two o'clock in the afternoon with his wife Mrs. Kumiko Hashimoto, the chief mourner, and were enshrined under the altar. After the opening address by Mr. Shinzo Abe, the Chief Cabinet Secretary, participants observed a minute of silent prayer, which was followed by the screening of images of Mr. Hashimoto in life shown in his memory. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, chairing the committee for the memorial service, said in his mourning oration that Mr. Hashimoto proved his leadership in areas such as administrative reform, social security and welfare, diplomacy, and global environmental issues. Prime Minister Koizumi further said, "Mr. Hashimoto, with rare and astute prescience, you looked hard at the shape of Japan in the 21st century and you unhesitatingly forced through essential reforms even when they entailed pain." Related Link: Memorial Address at the Joint Memorial Service by the Cabinet and Liberal Democratic Party for the Late Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto View Video (Available only in Japanese) Real(Narrowband) / Real(Broadband) Windows Media(Narrowband) / Windows Media(Broadband)