Overview
- The Social Democratic Party said Murayama died at 11:28 a.m. in a hospital in Oita at age 101, with party officials reporting old age as the cause.
- As prime minister from 1994 to 1996, he led a rare coalition that included his Socialist Party and the conservative Liberal Democratic Party.
- His August 15, 1995 statement expressed “deep remorse” and a “heartfelt apology” for Japan’s wartime colonial rule and aggression, language echoed by later leaders.
- His tenure coincided with the 1995 Kobe earthquake and the Tokyo subway sarin attack, drawing criticism over the government’s disaster response.
- Current Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba issued condolences praising Murayama’s service, while coverage notes he resigned in 1996 and retired from politics in 2000.