Japan on Tuesday (July 12) said farewell to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as huge crowds packed the pavements to pay their respects to their longest serving premier. A private funeral had been held earlier.
The 67-year old was shot at a campaign rally last week while speaking in the Japanese city of Nara.
He died around five hours after the shooting in a killing that has shocked a country where political violence and gun crime are rare.
A hearse carried Abe’s body through Tokyo with a heavy police presence passing hundreds of mourners.
Keiko Noumi, a 58-year-old teacher was one of many who came to offer prayers and flowers to a large photograph of Abe.
“There was a sense of security when he was the prime minister and in charge of the country. We felt safe with him in charge. I was really supporting him, so this is really quite unfortunate.”
The hearse also drove past the parliament where a young Abe first entered in 1993.
The current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other lawmakers bowed their heads as it slowly passed.
Tributes have poured in from international leaders with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken making a brief stop en route to the U.S. from South East Asia on Monday (July 11) morning to pay his respects.
And French leader Emmanuel Macron paid his respects in a short visit to the Japanese ambassador’s residence in Paris.
Nearly 2 000 condolence messages arrived from nations around the world, Kyodo news agency has said.
The suspected killer, 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, shot Abe from behind, unloading two shots from an improvised weapon wrapped with black tape.
Japan’s Chief cabinet secretary told a news conference on Tuesday that the government will consider whether there is a need to further regulate handmade guns.
Japan prepares to bid farewell to Shinzo Abe:
