Obituary: Saburo Okita

Saburo Okita, politician, died Tokyo 9 February, aged 78. A well- known economist, he helped formulate a blueprint for the reconstruction of Japan after the Second World War and wrote annual white papers on the Japanese economy from 1948 to 1951. Served as Japan's Foreign Minister (1979-80), and was President of the Overseas Economic Co-operation Fund from 1973 to 1977.