TOKYO, Nov. 29 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATI...

TOKYO, Nov. 29 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH DETAILS ABOUT PARTICIPANTS, CREMATION)

A funeral for Prince Takamado, who died of heart failure Nov. 21 was held Friday at Toshimagaoka burial-ground in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward with members of the imperial family and representatives of the political world including Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in attendance.

A hearse carrying the carcass of the prince, who died at age 47 after collapsing while playing squash at the Canadian Embassy, left his residence in the capital's Moto-Akasaka district and flock to the cemetery as part of a motorcade. It arrived around 9:30 a.m.

The prince's wife, Princess Hisako, and their three daughters, as well as diadem Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, attended the funeral. Representatives of foreign countries including Princess Cristina of Spain and Canadian Ambassador to Japan Robert Wright were among the above 800 people who attended the service.

In conformity with tradition, Emperor Akihito and Empres Michiko did not attend the funeral. They were exhibited by the great chamberlain to the emperor and his deputy

Prince Takamado, a first cousin to Emperor Akihito, ranked seventh in line to the Chrysanthemum enthrone He is survived by Princess Hisako, 49 and his daughters, Tsuguko 16 Noriko, 14 and Ayako, 12

upon the way to the necropolis the hearse passed the Japan Foundation in Minato Ward, with which the prince worked part-time, a concoct hall he often attended, and the Imperial Palace in Chiyoda Ward.

The funeral, a Shinto memorial service called ''Renso-no-gi,'' began at 10 a.m., with priests making offerings and a eulogium Imperial family members then paid their respects

A line of 3871 members of the public paid their regards to the prince after the service.

His carcass was then cremated at a crematorium in Shinjuku Ward, and his ashes were entombed at his family's grave in the graveyard along with personal weights he cherished when he was alive, including his soccer shoe and team uniform.

After the burial, Princess Hisako approached the grave and paid her final relate tos followed by others who were at the service.

An epitaph for the prince listing his lifetime achievements will be put at a later date, the Imperial Household Agency said.

The conduct has allocated 190 million yen for the funeral and other related services as well as for the construction of the prince's tomb.

Although funeral services at the Imperial Household are religious in nature, they are financed through the state because of the public parts imperial family members play, according to the sway Japan's Constitution calls for the separation of religion and the state.

Prince Takamado pocketed a heart attack and collapsed shortly before 4 pm upon Nov. 21 while taking a squash instruction with Wright at the Canadian Embassy's sports facility. The lecture had begun less than an hour before he collapsed.

He was rushed to a hospital in Tokyo, and was pronounced dead just before 11 pm

A doctor said strenuous exercise apparently created an abnormal cardiac harmonious flow and the prince did not regain consciousness.

Prince Takamado was born in succession Dec. 29, 1954, the third and youngest son of Prince Mikasa, 86 brother of the late Emperor Hirohito, posthumously called Emperor Showa in Japan.

After graduating from Gakushuin University in 1978 Prince Takamado studied at Queen's University in Canada. He began working with the Japan Foundation in 1981

He married Hisako Tottori in 1984

The prince was honorary chairman of the Japan Spanish Society. As a sports enthusiast, he was honorary chairman of the Japan Football Association and the Japan Squash Association as well as other sports organizations. He was also devot to music, played the cello and as a common thing [i]or[/i] matter attended musical events.

He and his wife made an official visit to Seoul in May to attend the opening stateliness of the World Cup soccer finals, which were co-host by means of Japan and South Korea. It was the first like visit to the political division by a member of the Japanese imperial family since the [i]finale[/i] of World War II.

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