On Monday, mourners flocked to a temple in Tokyo to pay their respects to former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, whose murder overshadowed the victory of the ruling party he had dominated in the election.
Hundreds attended Abe’s wake three days after he was shot at an election rally, including the current prime minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Kishida has the chance to solidify his own power following Sunday’s election victories
Tuesday is the date of Abe’s private funeral; he was Japan’s longest-serving premier until his resignation in 2020.
“There is a profound sense of sorrow at his loss,” Yellen said to reporters as she greeted Abe’s family and lit incense in the temple.
“The visionary leadership of Prime Minister Abe strengthened Japan.
I am confident that his legacy will endure “Added she.
A country where political violence and gun crime are uncommon was shocked by Abe’s shooting.
According to Kyodo news agency, citing investigators, the suspected killer, Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, who was detained at the scene and later identified by police, thought Abe had promoted a religious organization to which his mother had given a “huge donation.”
The suspect’s mother is a member of the Unification Church, a contentious organization infamous for its mass weddings and devoted following, it was revealed on Monday.
Tomihiro Tanaka, president of the church’s Japan branch, claimed that neither Abe nor Yamagami were members, adding that the church would assist law enforcement if requested.
SOMBER SUCCESS
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its ruling coalition partner increased their majority in the upper house of parliament in the elections held on Sunday. What normally would have been a joyful atmosphere at LDP headquarters turned solemn with the lower house already having a majority.
A moment of silence was held in honor of Abe, and Kishida’s expression remained grave as he placed rosettes next to the names of successful candidates on a board as a sign of their triumph.
World leaders have expressed their condolences in response to Abe’s passing, including Chinese Premier Xi Jinping and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth.
During a brief stopover on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Kishida to express support for President Joe Biden.
As he traveled privately to Tokyo to pay his respects, Vice President William Lai made history as the highest-ranking official from Taiwan to visit Japan in the previous fifty years.
A line of black sedans, some with diplomatic license plates, dropped off dignitaries and family at the wake at Tokyo’s Zojoji temple, where the former premier’s body lay
Some of those gathered mopped their brows as they stood in line beneath the steps leading to the temple in the sultry evening air while wearing all black clothing.
The public was allowed access to a section of the temple where they flocked to place flowers. Naoya Okamoto, a 28-year-old construction worker, said, “I feel so sad that a prime minister who dedicated himself to Japan died this way.”
He was the prime minister who once more showed the world a powerful Japan.
PARTY IMPACT
Even after he resigned from the LDP in 2020 due to illness, Abe continued to hold significant power within the party.
Up from 69, the LDP and its junior partner Komeito took home 76 of the 125 seats up for grabs in the chamber. Even though it fell short of a simple majority on its own, the LDP alone won 63 seats, up from 55, to win the majority of the seats that were up for election.
Elections are not scheduled for another three years, giving Kishida, an Abe protege, an unusually long window of opportunity to try to advance his own agenda. This includes increasing defense spending and, as Abe’s long-held dream, changing Japan’s pacifist constitution.
Analysts predicted that the death of Abe, who headed the LDP’s largest faction, could cause internal strife and threaten Kishida’s authority.
At a press conference, Kishida stated that he would take on the challenging issues that Abe was unable to resolve, such as revising the constitution. He added that he hoped discussions on the subject could take place during the upcoming session of parliament.
