The following is a chronology of the major events that took place during former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's 20 months in office.

July 30: Obuchi becomes Japan's 54th prime minister.

Aug. 7: Obuchi introduces his "economic reconstruction Cabinet" in a policy speech before the Diet.

Oct. 12: Banking reform bills are enacted, allowing the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan to be put under temporary state control.

1999> Jan. 14: Obuchi reshuffles his 6-month-old Cabinet and forms a coalition between his Liberal Democratic Party and the Liberal Party.

March 24: A Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel fires warning shots at two suspected North Korean spy boats in the Sea of Japan after the boats entered Japanese territorial waters. The incident marked the first time the MSDF fired warning shots.

April 29: The government chooses Okinawa as the venue for the July 2000 summit of the Group of Eight nations.

May 24: Legislation is enacted to strengthen Japan-U.S. defense cooperation, which allows, for the first time, the Self-Defense Forces to provide rear-area support to the U.S. military during armed conflicts in unspecified areas surrounding Japan.

June 18: Obuchi attends his first G8 summit, held in Cologne, Germany.

Aug. 9: Legislation is enacted that legally recognizes the Hinomaru as Japan's national flag and "Kimigayo" as the national anthem.

Aug. 12: Legislation is enacted to allow law enforcement authorities to use wiretaps during investigations into organized crime.

Sept. 21: Obuchi is re-elected LDP president.

Sept. 30: Japan's worst nuclear accident occurs at a JCO Co. uranium processing plant in Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture. Hundreds of local residents are exposed to radiation. One JCO worker later died, the first fatality at a nuclear facility in Japan.

Oct. 5: Obuchi reshuffles his Cabinet and expands the LDP-Liberal Party coalition to include New Komeito.

Dec. 3: Legislation is enacted to crack down on Aum Shinrikyo, whose members are on trial for a series of heinous crimes, including the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

2000> Feb. 2: Legislation is enacted to reduce by 20 the number of proportional representation seats in the 500-member Lower House.

Feb. 23: Obuchi and opposition leaders hold their first face-to-face debate in the Diet.

April 1: Obuchi announces the Liberal Party will leave the coalition.

April 2: Obuchi is hospitalized for a stroke and falls into a coma.

April 3: Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki becomes acting prime minister.

April 4: Obuchi's Cabinet resigns en masse.

April 5: Cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori is launched.

May 14: Obuchi dies.