At the funeral, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the prominent faces, in a hall filled with people paying tribute to Abe. PM Narendra Modi bowed and offered a floral tribute to Abe while paying his respects.
An image of Shinzo Abe hanging high above, with hundreds of flowers arranged below it, even a flag of Japan made out of flowers, a hall filled with international leaders, and hundreds of protesters lining the streets outside the hall; these are just some of the scenes that describe the state funeral of former Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, held on Tuesday.
The state funeral of Shinzo Abe is under controversy as hundreds of people continue to protest against the exuberant amount of public money spent on funeral arrangements. Abe’s death continues to be as divisive as his political life.
PM Modi is visiting Japan to attend the funeral of former PM Shinzo Abe, whom he considered a close friend. PM Modi’s decision to personally attend the funeral highlights not only the close bond that the two leaders shared but also underlines the importance of India-Japan ties.
Before attending the funeral, PM Modi met with the current Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida. During the bilateral meeting, Modi expressed his condolences on the demise of Shinzo Abe and also discussed bilateral issues. Additionally, PM Modi reiterated that “India-Japan relations will deepen further and scale greater heights” under the leadership of PM Kishida.
Modi and Shinzo Abe shared a special and close bond, with Abe even hosting Modi in his ancestral home in Yamanashi, a gesture rarely seen among world leaders and far rarer for the reserved Japanese society.
During his tenure as PM, Abe contributed immensely to formulating closer ties with India, with India reciprocating the actions.
9 July was declared a national mourning day in India by PM Narendra Modi as a remembrance of Shinzo Abe.
PM Narendra Modi meets Shinzo Abe’s widow
PM Modi also met Akie Abe, Shinzo Abe’s widow, to convey his condolences in person.
In a tweet earlier, PM Modi praised Abe and said, “Abe was a great leader, a phenomenal individual, and someone who believed in India-Japan friendship. He shall live on in the hearts of millions! “
Besides PM Modi, other prominent world leaders, including the United States Vice President Kamala Harris and Australian PM Anthony Albanese, also attended the funeral.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s funeral was the first state funeral for a former PM held in 55 years.
As the Japanese leader is laid to rest, his legacy of determination to uplift Japan economically and on the world stage and to form stronger ties with other nations, including India, will continue to live on.
