Topline
Thousands of people lined the streets and several dozen dignitaries gathered in Tokyo Tuesday to pay their final respects to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated by a gunman during an election campaign event last week.
A car carrying the body of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe leaves Zojoji temple following … [+]
Key Facts
Abe’s funeral service took place at the Zojoji Temple—a Buddhist temple and a key Tokyo landmark—and was marked by his widow Akie serving as the chief mourner, Kyodo News reported.
A small number of dignitaries attended the ceremony at the temple including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Japanese lawmakers.
The sidewalks outside the temple were lined with hundreds of people who wanted to pay their respects to the deceased former leader.
After the funeral, a convoy of vehicles, including the hearse carrying Abe’s body, drove through several key locations in Tokyo including the prime minister’s office, the parliament building and the headquarters of his Liberal Democratic Party,
Key Background
Abe was assassinated at an election campaign event in the western Japanese city of Nara. The former prime minister was shot twice while delivering a speech in support of a local candidate running in the Japanese Parliament’s Upper House election. Police immediately apprehended the suspected shooter—a 41-year-old local man named Yamagami Tetsuya who previously served in the Japanese Navy—and also recovered a handmade gun. The sudden death of Japan’s longest-serving prime minister was mourned by leaders across the world, including President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, who called Abe a “true friend.”. The shooting also sent shockwaves across Japan where shootings are extremely rare and political violence is even rarer.
People wait in line to attend the funeral for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Zojoji … [+]
People pay their respects as they attend the funeral for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe … [+]
A woman reacts during the funeral for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Zojoji temple in … [+]
A hearse carrying late former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe leaves Zojoji Temple in Tokyo.
A car ferrying Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida leaves Zojoji temple after the funeral for … [+]
A hearse transporting the body of Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe makes a brief visit to … [+]
The vehicle carrying the body of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe leaves Zojoji temple … [+]
One of people who offer flowers and prayers for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, cries at Zojoji … [+]
A hearse transporting the body of late former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe drives past the … [+]
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/07/12/photos-thousands-of-mourners-gather-in-tokyo-to-bid-farewell-to-former-prime-minister-shinzo-abe/