Leaders mourn Obuchi

Clinton bowed correctly as he laid flowers for Obuchi

Six thousand mourners, including political leaders from across the world, have attended a memorial service in Tokyo for the former Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.

The occasion was used as a venue for regional diplomatic purposes, with a busy round of bilateral meetings focusing on the upcoming summit between North and South Korea, the first of its kind.

History will record that Keizo Obuchi rose to the challenge with courage and confidence

Bill Clinton

US president Bill Clinton, on an eight-hour visit to Japan, held talks with Mr Obuchi's successor Yoshiro Mori, and the South Korean president Kim Dae-Jung.

A White House spokesman said an announcement easing US sanctions against North Korea could be expected soon.

The Americans have given their backing to President Kim, although correspondents say Washington is anxious he does not give too much away to the North Koreans without first getting some concessions over their development of weapons of mass destruction.

Ceremony

Security was tight at the two-hour memorial service, attended by representatives from 99 nations and led by Crown Princess Masako and Crown Prince Naruhito.

Obuchi's wife carried her husband's ashes in the service

At the start of the funeral service, Obuchi's son and wife carried a large urn filled with his ashes into the central Tokyo assemby hall.

Organisers also showed a video presentation of the highlights of Obuchi's life.

Mr Obuchi's ashes were later taken to a flower-laden altar at the the Nippon Budokan events hall by his son as a 19-gun salute was fired.

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, a friend of Obuchi from university days, said the late premier spared no efforts to rejuvenate Japan's weakened economy.

"No-one was more concerned with the current condition and the future of our nation as we approached the tumultuous turn of the century," he said.

Japan ruling party's problems

Analysts say Mr Mori will be hoping a display of statesmanship just before this month's general election will help boost his declining popularity.

His approval rating has sunk below 20% in recent days, partly because of a series of comments that brought back memories of Japan's discredited pre-war political system.

Since his death, Obuchi has been praised as a popular leader who pushed through a series of spending programmes and a massive bank bailout to pull the Japanese economy out of a decade-long slowdown.

He slipped into a coma on 2 April and was replaced by Mr Mori three days later. He died on 14 May.