Ex-PM Murayama, who apologized for Japan wartime aggression, dies at 101

Tomiichi Murayama, who served as prime minister from June 1994 to January 1996 and was known for apologizing for Japan's wartime aggression in Asia, died of old age Friday at a hospital in southwestern Japan, the local chapter of the party he used to lead said. He was 101.Murayama became the first socialist prime minister in 47 years, leading an unprecedented alliance of long-time political rivals -- his Social Democratic Party and the conservative Liberal Democratic Party plus the now-defunct small LDP splinter group New Party Sakigake.While Murayama settled many outstanding issues during …READ FULL ARTICLE