Kiichi Miyazawa, 87; former prime minister of Japan

Former Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, 87, who served from 1991 until 1993, died Thursday of natural causes at his home in Tokyo. The statesman, who was first elected to parliament in 1953, returned to high profile politics late in life in 1998, when he was named finance minister by then-Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.

Miyazawa became well known in the United States in 1992 when then-President George H.W. Bush fell ill during a state dinner in Tokyo and vomited on him. Video showed Miyazawa holding the president’s head as First Lady Barbara Bush wiped his face.

The Tokyo-born Miyazawa came from a family of prominent politicians. His father was a member of parliament; his grandfather was a Cabinet minister. Miyazawa was educated at the prestigious Tokyo University and later joined the Finance Ministry. An avid student of English, he acted as interpreter in Washington talks between Japan’s finance minister and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles after World War II.

Miyazawa’s government began to unravel when he lost a vote of confidence in 1993 after failing to enact promised anti-corruption measures. His Liberal Democratic Party fared badly in a snap election, losing the lower house majority it had held since 1955.