Bono receives honorary degree in Japan

Bono has received an honorary degree from Keio University in Japan.

The U2 singer collected the award - marking his contributions to music and humanitarian causes - to rapturous student applause yesterday.

Bono is currently in Japan to lend his support to the Tokyo International conference on Africa Development.

The 48-year-old insisted that Japan must not ignore Africa ahead of July's G8 summit.

“We believe in taking people out of extreme poverty, and Japan is more successful [in this task] than any other [country],” Bono said.

“We need Japan to take [the] lead. You are very modest people, sometimes [you] do not step forward to take credit, but you should.”