The philanthropist Yohei Sasakawa was also awarded an honorary doctorate by the university in a separate ceremony.

BBC: Doreen Lawrence

The Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono has asked the Russian leadership to provide detailed information about the scuttling procedure.

BBC: Putin demands successful Mir scuttling

His head-to-head with Japan's Kono Yohei will last only 20 minutes.

CNN: Relegated to the Sidelines?

Mori's only real rivals were Foreign Minister Kono Yohei (who once was LDP party president when the party was out of power and so is the only LDP president never to be prime minister) and Kato Koichi, who heads the second-largest Diet faction.

CNN: Taking Over