New Delhi: Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s state funeral began in Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan Hall on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian PM Anthony Albanense are among other leaders present at the funeral service. The longest serving prime minister of Japan, Abe was assassinated on July 8 in the western Japanese city of Nara during an election campaign.
A 41-year old man, Tetsuya Yamagami was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder for shooting at Abe.
Abe's wife, Akie Abe carried his ashes into Budokan Hall where thousands of mourners gathered for the event. Dressed in black kimono, Akie carried her husband's ashes as a 19-gun salute sounded. Members of Imperial Family of Japan also paid their offerings and tribute to former Japanese Prime Minister. Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko walked upto the altar to lay flowers.
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A video played in the memory of 67-year old Abe threw light on various aspect of his personal and public lives. The video which started with Abe playing a video showed glimpses of him interacting with the public and his attendance at various global summits and sharing stage with global leaders. The video also featured Abe's visit to India and his meeting with PM Modi.
PM Fumio Kishida delivered an eulogy to Abe. Standing at the centre of the Altar facing huge portait of Abe he delivered the eulogy regularly looking up at the picture of Abe as he spoke. PM Kishida spoke about his predecessor's "significant and incomparable legacy", reported BBC.
Several other Japanese politicians including members of Lower and Upper Houses and other senior party leaders also delivered short addresses. Former Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga whom Abe succeeded in 2020 delivered his address saying that he immediately rushed to Abe's side when he was shot. "Why did your life have to be taken away in such a tragic way when you were so indispensable to us?", Suga said, as reported by BBC.
Abe's funeral is the second state funeral for a former prime minister since World War 2. The first one was held in 1967 for Shigeru Yoshida. Other deceased prime ministers received a joint Cabinet Office and Liberal Democratic Party service.