Special report: Concern mounts over Yasser Arafat's health

    TOKYO, Nov. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi expressed Thursday his condolence to the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and praised his efforts for the Middle East peace process.

    "I pray that his soul would rest in peace. I sincerely hope the Palestinians overcome their sorrow and continue with their struggle for achieving peace and prosperity in the region," Koizumi said in a statement.

    Koizumi described the Nobel Peace Prize winner as "a pioneer who had laid out the foundation for the establishment of a Palestinian state."

    Former Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, who is currently an adviser to Koizumi, will go to Cairo to attend Arafat's funeral, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said.

    Arafat, 75, died early on Thursday at a French military hospital outside Paris. Enditem