Former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, who died May 14 at the age of 62, will be honored by his native Gunma Prefecture on Friday, officials of the prefectural government said Thursday.
The officials said the Gunma prefectural assembly will formally make the decision to honor Obuchi for contributing to politics and revitalizing the Japanese economy.
Obuchi, a native of the town of Nakanojo, will be the prefecture's fifth citizen to be honored. Takeo Fukuda, another former prime minister, is one of those recognized previously.