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Thousands of people arrive to bid farewell to Japan’s Abe on 1st public funeral since 1967

It is reported that a memorable video showing the most memorable moments of Abe's political biography was shown on screens installed in the hall

© Philip Fong/Pool Photo via AP

TOKYO, September 27. /TASS/. A public funeral ceremony for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was held on Tuesday at the Nippon Budokan (Japan Martial Arts Hall) in central Tokyo, a TASS correspondent reported.

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Japan bids final farewell to former PM Shinzo Abe

This is the country's first public funeral since 1967. A large photo of Shinzo Abe, an urn with the politician's ashes, his awards, the Japanese national flag with a black mourning ribbon and baskets of white chrysanthemums, symbolizing grief, were displayed at the Nippon Budokan.

After the national anthem, a minute of silence and the passing of a guard of honor, a memorable video showing the most memorable moments of Abe's political biography was shown on screens installed in the hall.

Prime Minister Kishida delivered his farewell address, referring, as is the Japanese custom, to a photograph of the deceased. He recalled the highlights of Abe's biography, noting that he was the longest serving prime minister in Japanese history. Pointing to Abe's active diplomacy, Kishida stressed that he actively worked to "build a free and open Indo-Pacific region."

Foreign guests

More than four thousand people, including about 700 foreign representatives, came to bid farewell to ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was murdered in an assassination attempt in early July. Among them were US Vice President Kamala Harris, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, European Council President Charles Michel, and South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Russia was represented by special presidential envoy for international cultural cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy.

Former Prime Minister Abe was shot on July 8 during an election rally. A private Buddhist funeral ceremony for family members, close friends and associates was held at Tokyo's Zojo-ji shrine on July 12. Abe's body was cremated. In view of his services to the country, the government decided to hold a public funeral ceremony on September 27, which prompted disapproval from a large segment of the population that disagreed with the authorities' claims about Abe's contributions to the country.

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