U2 singer gets an honorary degree

Bono gave a lecture to students in Japan after receiving his honour

U2 frontman Bono has received an honorary degree for his fight against poverty and Aids in Africa.

The singer received the honour at a ceremony at Japan's Keio University and gave a lecture to students urging Japan to play a greater role in funding and organising African development.

Bono is currently in the country to attend the Tokyo International Conference on African Development.

The G8 meeting is due to take place in Hokkaido on 8 July.

Rock star welcome

Earlier the Irish singer got a welcome more worthy of his rock-star status as he walked through throngs of cheering students at Keio's central university campus.

He told the students: "You're about to host the most powerful leaders in the world as they make decisions on which the lives of the poorest people in the world will depend. This year we hope that global health and the food crisis will be at the top of the agenda."

Bono has been involved in campaigning for third world debt relief and raising Aids awareness in Africa since 1999.

He has set up various bodies to tackle the issue including DATA (Debt, Aids, Trade, Africa) and Product Red, which was set up to raise money to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.