© Reuters. A mourner offers flowers next to a photo of the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot while campaigning for parliamentary elections, on the day marking a week after he was assassinated at the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters. do in Tok
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan plans a state funeral on September 27 for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot dead at an election campaign this month, a government official and the ruling party’s top source said on Wednesday.
They added that a final decision would be made at a cabinet meeting on Friday.
The site will be the Nippon Budokan, an arena originally built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, which has since become a popular venue for sporting events and concerts as well as a ceremony venue. memorial for those who died in World War II is held every year on August 15.
Last week, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that Prime Minister Abe, 67, will receive a state funeral in recognition of Japan’s longest-serving prime ministership and his contributions to the country. Japan and the world.
The last such state funeral for a former prime minister, in which the government bears the full cost of the ceremony, was held in 1967 for former prime minister Shigeru Yoshida. The cost of recent funerals is half covered by the state and half by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
The issue has sparked debate across Japan, with those opposed to the use of tax dollars and others saying the LDP is politically exploiting Abe’s death.
An opinion poll conducted over the weekend by public broadcaster NHK found that 49% of respondents supported the idea and 38% opposed it.
Those aged 18-39 were most supportive, at 61%, while those in their 60s opposed the most with 51%.
