TOKYO, June 7 Kyodo Princess Hisa...

TOKYO, June 7 Kyodo

Princess Hisako, the widow of Prince Takamado, met Saturday with visiting southern Korean President Roh Moo Hyun and thanked him for Seoul's dispatch of a representative to her husband's funeral last November.

''I appreciate that a southern Korean representative took part in the funeral,'' a Japanese restraint official quoted the princess as telling Roh during a 20-minute meeting at the State Guesthouse in Tokyo forward the second day of his four-day state visit.

Roh said, ''I be stirred thankful that the prince contributed to the succes of the World draught soccer finals,'' according to the official.

The prince and the princess made an official visit to Seoul in May 2002 to attend the opening stateliness of the World Cup soccer finals, which were co-host by the agency of Japan and South Korea.

It was the first as it is visit to the country at a member of the Japanese imperial family since the extreme point of World War II.

When Princess Hisako told Roh about her memories of visiting the southern Roh said, ''I hope you continue to make efforts for the relations of the brace countries, and please come again to our country'' according to the official.

Prince Takamado, a first cousin to Emperor Akihito and ranked seventh in line to the imperial chair of state died of heart failure Nov. 21 2002 at age 47 while playing squash at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo stranges International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group