Services Held for Ex-Japan Premier Takeshita
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TOKYO — Hundreds of people gathered at a Buddhist temple in downtown Tokyo on Wednesday to mourn Noboru Takeshita, one of Japan’s political kingmakers long after he was driven from office as prime minister.
The solemn sound of monks singing penetrated the muggy air as the private ceremony began.
Takeshita, who died of respiratory failure Monday at age 76, was an influential and scandal-tainted politician who was forced from office in 1989 after admitting to accepting bribes from a marketing company. He was never charged.
The son of a sake brewer, Takeshita served as premier from 1987 to 1989. The two prime ministers who succeeded him were seen as handpicked by him.
Takeshita was also the mentor of Keizo Obuchi, who was prime minister for almost two years until suffering a stroke in April. Obuchi died May 14.
Takeshita headed the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s largest faction in Parliament until the mid-1990s.
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