Japanese mourn assassinated Shinzo Abe

Family and friends of assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe gathered at a Tokyo temple on Tuesday for a private funeral.

People line up to offer condolences at Shinzo Abe’s funeral at Zojoji Temple in Tokyo. Picture: Getty Images

Family and friends of assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe gathered at a Tokyo temple on Tuesday for a private funeral, as mourners outside condemned the leader’s “despicable” murder.

Abe was shot on Friday while giving a campaign speech in the city of Nara, days ahead of upper house elections that saw his ruling party strengthen its hold on power.

The murder suspect, 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, is in custody and has told police he targeted Abe because he believed the politician was linked to an­ ­organisation he resented.

Although the funeral rites were for family members and close ­associates only, long lines of ­people came to the Zojoji temple to pay respects to Japan’s longest-serving prime minister.

“I can’t get over my sadness, so I came here to lay flowers and say a prayer,” consultant Tsukasa Yokawa, 41, said, describing Abe as “a great prime minister who did a lot to elevate Japan’s presence” on the global stage.

Abe’s murder sparked shock and outrage in Japan and worldwide, and an outpouring of condolence messages.

A grieving woman during the funeral for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Zojoji temple on Tuesday. Picture: Getty Images

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Tuesday that more than 1700 condolence messages had been received from 259 countries, territories and international bodies.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unscheduled stop in Tokyo on Monday to pay tribute to Abe, describing him as a “man of vision”.

And Taiwanese Vice-President William Lai was also in Tokyo for a surprise trip, which has the potential to anger Beijing, though Mr Hayashi said Mr Lai was travelling in a private capacity and there was no change to Japan’s policy on working non-governmental relations with Taiwan.

Public memorials for Abe are expected to be held at a later date, with suggestions that top foreign political leaders could attend, but no details have been announced.

Police searches of the suspect’s home have found pellets and other possible components for building a gun like the crude weapon used in the attack, Japanese media reported on Tuesday.

“It’s despicable,” said Yuko Takehisa, a 51-year-old assistant nurse who lives near Tokyo.

“More could have been done to prevent it,” she said, complaining that “no one reported” Yamagami to police despite reports he had test-fired a handmade gun.

Yamagami spent three years in Japan’s navy and reportedly told investigators that his mother’s large donations to a religious ­organisation had caused the family financial troubles.

AFP