FEATURE: Japan's "Chanson Monk" uses song, sutras to spread message of peace

NAGOYA - French chanson and Buddhist sutras may seem an unlikely combination, but for 87-year-old priest Miruo Nakano, they have become a way to convey a deeply personal message about peace and the preciousness of life.

Known as the "Chanson Monk," Nakano, from Ichinomiya in central Japan's Aichi Prefecture, began singing chanson as a hobby when he was around 60, developing a distinctive performance style that combines the French songs with Buddhist chanting. He has even performed in Paris.