China News Service, July 11. According to Agence France-Presse, US Secretary of State Blinken went to Tokyo, Japan on the 11th to express his condolences to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after his visit to Thailand.
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Blinken.
According to reports, a U.S. State Department official said that Blinken visited Tokyo without prior arrangement. He first went to the U.S. embassy in Japan to lead staff to observe a moment of silence for Abe.
Afterwards, Blinken met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and conveyed his condolences.
On the 8th, Abe was shot in the middle of a speech, and later died of his injuries in a hospital in Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture, at the age of 67.
Blinken has expressed grief and concern over the incident.
Blinken and Thai Foreign Minister Pama Winai also observed a moment of silence for Abe before starting talks in Bangkok on the 10th.