[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 20 (Monday, May 22, 2000)]
[Page 1107]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the Death of Former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi of Japan

May 14, 2000

    Hillary and I are deeply saddened by the death of former Prime 
Minister Keizo Obuchi. I want to extend our deepest condolences to his 
wife, Chizuko, his family, and his nation.
    Japan has lost a strong and vibrant leader. The United States has 
lost one of our closest friends.
    I had the honor of meeting with Prime Minister Obuchi several times 
after he became Prime Minister in 1998. I visited him in Tokyo that 
fall, and he came to Washington for a memorable visit in May 1999. In 
all our meetings, I was impressed by his effective statesmanship and his 
personal warmth. He believed ardently, as I do, in a U.S.-Japanese 
partnership built upon shared values and mutual respect. The personal 
friendship he and I forged helped us act on that belief and strengthened 
our desire to address all the issues affecting our two countries in a 
spirit of true friendship. The bonsai tree he gave me, and which he 
tended himself, is a living symbol of our alliance.
    The job of Prime Minister is never easy, but Keizo Obuchi met every 
challenge with courage and confidence. He embodied before the world the 
famous Japanese virtues of honor, loyalty, and determination. He became 
known for imitating the art and skill of an orchestra conductor in 
finding harmony among people of different views. From his first days in 
office, he took swift steps to meet the economic challenges facing 
Japan, and he also gave strong support to the cause of peace--from 
Kosovo to East Timor. Prime Minister Obuchi worked hard in countless 
ways to strengthen our alliance and to place it on a new foundation for 
the 21st century. The friendship between our peoples remains the 
cornerstone of stability in east Asia and was greatly strengthened by 
his lifetime of building bridges between us.
    Prime Minister Obuchi touched the hearts of Americans in simple, 
human ways: when he threw out what he called an unhittable pitch to 
Sammy Sosa; when he reminded us of the honor he felt meeting Robert 
Kennedy as young man; when he told us how he drew from that meeting new 
inspiration for the noble privilege of serving a great people.
    On behalf of all Americans, I am grateful for Prime Minister 
Obuchi's dedicated, principled public service and for all he did to 
build for us a brighter future. I will work closely with Prime Minister 
Mori to continue our close cooperation with Japan.