More than 2,500 people attended the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who died in an attack on the 8th, including Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio Tsuyae and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
According to Japanese media such as NHK, an official of the 'Abe faction', the largest faction within the LDP, said that politicians and ordinary citizens visited Tsuyae, an event on the eve of the funeral held at Jojoji, a temple in Minato-ku, Tokyo to pay their respects.
The truck carrying the body of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left his home in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo around 2:30 pm yesterday (11th) and arrived at Jojoji Temple.
The resident, former Prime Minister Abe's wife, Akie Abe, said that her funeral would be held only as a funeral for her family, but more than 2,500 people from the political and business circles, foreigners and citizens attended Tsuya.
Tsuyae, which started at 6 pm, also paid condolences to Secretary Yellen and U.S. Ambassador to Japan Ram Emanuel, who visited Japan to attend a meeting of the U.S. and Japanese finance ministers.
Kyodo News reported that Minister Yellen was scheduled to visit Japan for two days from today, but it seems that he attended the event a day earlier due to the death of Abe.
In addition, Prime Minister Kishida, Vice President Taro Aso of the LDP, Toshimitsu Motegi, Secretary General of the National Democratic Party, Yuichiro Tamaki, President of the People's Democratic Party, and Akio Toyota President Akio Toyota came to burn incense.
Taiwanese Vice President Lai Tsingde visited former Prime Minister Abe's home to comfort his family.
Vice President Lai is the highest-ranking Taiwanese government official who has visited Taiwan since Japan established diplomatic ties with China in 1972 and cut ties with Taiwan.
Taiwan's Central News Agency reported that Vice President Lai left for Japan at the direction of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
The funeral will be held this afternoon at Jojoji Temple as a family funeral home in the presence of family, friends and acquaintances.
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After the funeral, the truck will go around the Prime Minister's Office and the National Assembly to say goodbye and then head to the crematorium.
As Abe was the longest-serving prime minister in history, having served as prime minister for a total of 8 years and 9 months on two occasions, according to custom, Prime Minister Kishida will serve as the funeral director and a memorial ceremony jointly hosted by the government and the LDP will be held.
At the joint memorial service, condolences from not only domestic but also foreign governments are expected to attend.
The Korean government plans to dispatch a condolence delegation to Japan, consisting of Prime Minister Han Duk-su, National Assembly Vice Chairman Jeong Jin-seok, and senior lawmakers.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot and killed by Tetsuya Yamagami, a former Self-Defense Forces member, during a street campaign in Nara City at 11:30 a.m. on the 8th. .
(Photo = Getty Images Korea)