With flowers, prayers, flags wrapped in black ribbons and the occasional tear, Japan paid its last goodbye to Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister assassinated last Friday at an election rally at the age of 67.
The ceremony for the Buddhist rite was held after noon (local time) at the Zojoji temple in the Japanese capital. It was an intimate act, in which only members of his family and figures close to the deceased leader were present, such as the current prime minister, Fumio Kishida, or the general secretary of the Liberal Democratic Party, Toshimitsu Motegi, whom Abe, the most dominant figure in Japanese politics so far this century, he belonged his entire career.
Around the temple, protected by a large security device, numerous citizens gathered, many dressed in black, as happened on Monday when a wake was held in that same place in tribute to the politician.
This event, also private, was attended by some 2,500 people, including prominent figures in Japanese politics and the private sector as well as foreign dignitaries from various countries. The presence of one of them in a personal capacity, Taiwanese Vice President William Lai, provoked criticism from Beijing, which described his presence as a “political stunt that will not succeed.”
After the ceremony, the hearse carrying Abe’s body drove through central Tokyo. The procession toured the political heart of the capital, Nagatacho, including landmarks such as the parliament building that Abe first entered as a young lawmaker in 1993 and the office from which he led the nation in two terms as prime minister, the longest long from 2012 to 2020.
As he passed, thousands of excited citizens gathered to pay their last tribute. “There was a sense of security when he was the prime minister in charge of the country. (His murder of him) has been something really unfortunate, ”said one of them, teacher Keiko Noumi, who came to lay some flowers and pray in front of a photograph of Abe placed near the temple.
Other people lined up outside the headquarters of the ruling PLD to make offerings at a makeshift shrine that will be in place until Friday. According to the state agency Kyodo, up to 2,000 messages of condolence from all over the world have arrived in the country these days.
A public act of homage to the deceased is expected to take place later, although the date and place are yet to be determined. “The prime minister has left many merits and we believe that we should think with respect in the way of honoring him. But it has not yet been decided, we will study it based on other previous cases and according to the will of his family, ”the Executive spokesman, Hirokazu Matsuno, said today at a press conference.
Meanwhile, the authorities continue to investigate the details of an assassination that has shocked a country unaccustomed to violence with firearms. The main suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, was arrested at the scene after shooting Abe twice in the back. In his statement, he said he attacked Abe for his alleged ties to a religious organization that he blames for his mother’s financial ruin.
After several days of speculation, the Japanese branch of the controversial Unification Church, a cult with South Korean roots with anti-communist overtones famous for its mass wedding ceremonies, confirmed that the suspect’s mother has been a member of their church for years. However, those responsible did not want to give details about the issue of donations or the alleged financial problems of the assassin’s family.
For his part, the president of the Public Security Commission, Satoshi Ninouy, promised on Tuesday a thorough review of possible security flaws. Since the attack, there has been harsh criticism of the lax protection measures surrounding Abe, which allowed the attacker to fire unopposed just meters from his victim.
The unexpected attack against Abe has had repercussions even outside its borders. This Tuesday, South Korea announced that it will increase its security measures around high-ranking figures such as the new prime minister, Yoon Suk-yeol, or the LGBTQ pride march this weekend, in which the US ambassador to the country, Philip Goldberg.
“We are reviewing our security system for President Yoon following the Abe shooting and will take necessary steps to strengthen our security posture,” an official at the presidential office told Reuters.
