Tokyo : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived here to attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Before attending the funeral, Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo.
Modi said- ‘India and Japan’s friendship has played a huge role in creating a global impact…. I am sure India-Japan relations will deepen under your leadership. We will be able to play a proper role in solving the problems in the world.
The state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be held in Budokan. Prime Minister Modi will pay floral tributes to the late leader after reaching Budokan. Modi told Fumio Kishida that we are meeting today in this hour of sorrow. The last time I came, I had a very long talk with Shinzo Abe and I never imagined that I would hear such news after leaving.
Shinzo Abe’s state funeral will be held at the Nippon Budokan Community Center in Tokyo at 10:30 am (Japan time, 2 pm) IST. This program will last about one and a half hours. Abe was assassinated on July 8. He was shot. After this, Shinzo was cremated in the family on 15 July. The State Funeral to be held today is symbolic.
Attending the state funeral is US Vice President Kamala Harris, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, South Korean Prime Minister Han Duc-soo, Philippines Vice President Sarah Duterte-Carpio, Indonesia About 700 delegates from 217 countries, including President Maruf Amin, European Council President Charles Michel, have reached Japan.
The first state guest at the event will pay tribute to Abe. This will be followed by a two-minute silence in memory of Abe along with the national anthem. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Parliament Speaker Hiroyuki Hasoda, Supreme Court Chief Justice Saburo Tokara and former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Abe’s close aide, will speak on his personality at the funeral.
After this, the Royal Family of Japan will pay tribute to Shinzo Abe. However, due to tradition, King Naruhito, Queen Masako, King Emeritus Akihito and Queen Emerita Michiko will not attend the meeting. Royal envoys of the Royal Family will pay tribute on behalf of the family. Crown Prince Akishino and his wife Crown Princess Kiko will pay tribute to Abe at Kudanzaka Park. Ordinary people will also pay tribute to Abe. The State Funeral Ceremony will conclude with the departure of Shinzo Abe’s remains.