http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstSpecial01/index.php?cmenuid=90 Kyodo News on the Web: Daily international, Japan news, Japan News, national and local news coverage from the newspaper, breaking news updates, technology news, sports, reviews, listings. Kyodo News (C) All Rights Reserved http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstSpecial01/index.php?cmenuid=90 en http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=490261 Akiko Sato, the influential secretary to late Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, died Thursday of lung cancer at a Tokyo hospital, sources close to her said Friday. She was 81. Considered Tanaka's treasurer, Sato effectively handled the management of his powerful support organization, Etsuzankai. http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=488903 Former labor minister Tetsuo Kondo died Thursday of pancreatic cancer at a Tokyo hospital, his family said. He was 80. A native of Yamagata Prefecture, Kondo served as labor minister in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa from 1991 to 1992, during his nine terms as a House of Representatives member from the Liberal Democratic Party between 1972 and 1996. http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=488564 Kikue Wakatsuki, a well-known supporter of Minamata disease patients, died of acute pneumonia Tuesday morning at a hospital in Saitama Prefecture, sources close to her said Wednesday. She was 94. While managing a bar in Tokyo's Shinjuku district, Wakatsuki asked her customers, including celebrities in various fields, to donate money for the mercury-poisoning victims. http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=488193 Kyoto University Professor Emeritus Chushiro Hayashi, a Japanese astrophysicist known as a pioneer of introducing atomic physics theories into the field of astronomy, died of pneumonia at a Kyoto hospital Sunday, sources close to him said Monday. He was 89. After serving as a research associate under Hideki Yukawa, a Nobel laureate in physics, the Kyoto native made a significant contribution in 1950 to the Alpher-Bethe-Gamow model of nucleosynthesis in the hot Big Bang. http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=486703 Former U.S. Secretary of State Alexander Haig died Saturday from complications associated with an infection, the Associated Press reported. He was 85. The Haig family said the top official in the administrations of three presidents died at a Baltimore hospital, according to the AP report. http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=486305 Popular actor Makoto Fujita died Wednesday of bleeding from a large artery at Osaka University Hospital in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, his agent said Thursday. He was 76. Born in Tokyo in 1933 as a son of silent-film actor Rintaro Fujima (1899-1970), Fujita broke through as a star after becoming a leading cast member in the 1962-1968 TV comedy period drama ''Tenamonya Sandogasa'' that was broadcast nationwide. http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=485977 Science fiction translator Hisashi Asakura died of heart failure Sunday at a hospital in Yokohama, his family said Tuesday. He was 79. Asakura, whose real name was Zenji Otani, translated numerous science fiction works into Japanese including ''Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'' by Philip K. Dick and ''The Sirens of Titan'' by Kurt Vonnegut. ==Kyodo http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=485398 Veteran announcer Hiroshi Tamaoki, who is best known as the host of a popular TV music program broadcast between the 1950s and 1970s, died Thursday of brain-stem hemorrhage at a hospital in Kanagawa Prefecture, a local entertainment facility he worked for said Friday. He was 76. A native of Kawasaki in the prefecture, Tamaoki started his career as an announcer at radio broadcaster Nippon Cultural Broadcasting Inc. after graduating from Meiji University and then became an emcee for late singer Michiya Mihashi. http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=485277 Renowned British fashion designer Alexander McQueen has been found dead, his office said Thursday. A statement released by the office said, ''Lee McQueen, the founder and designer of the Alexander McQueen brand, has been found dead at his home.'' http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=484882 Award-winning novelist Wahei Tatematsu, also known for recent environmental nonprofit work, died Monday afternoon of multiple organ failure at a hospital in Tokyo, his family said Tuesday. He was 62. Born in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, Tatematsu wrote award-winning novels including ''Enrai'' (Distant Thunder). The devotee of Buddhism also wrote ''Dogen-Zenji,'' a bulky tome on Dogen (1200-1253) who founded the Soto sect of Zen Buddhism in 1227.