Japan holds state funeral for assassinated PM Shinzo Abe

GBNEWS24DESK//

Japan honored former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday with flowers, a 19-gun salute and thousands of mourners at the country’s first state funeral for a former prime minister in 55 years, report AFP, AP and Reuters.

The ceremony, which was attended by dozens of foreign leaders and dignitaries, comes after the long-serving former prime minister was shot dead with an improvised firearm at a campaign rally in July, just days before a national election.

“You were a person who should have lived much much longer,” said Japan’s current prime minister and head of the funeral committee, Fumio Kishida.

“As a compass for Japan and the world’s future, you would have worked for 10 more — no, 20 more years — until there’s no energy left in you. I’m certain you would have dedicated yourself.”