Japan to hold state funeral for ex-PM Abe

According to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Japan will perform a state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was fatally shot on the campaign trail last week.

Earlier this week, Japan's longest-serving leader was laid to rest in private, visited by bereaved family members and others close to him.

Japan last hosted a public memorial for Shigeru Yoshida, who served as prime minister while the country rose from the ruins of World War II, in 1967.

"By carrying out a state funeral, we will mourn (the death of) former Prime Minister Abe and show our determination to defend democracy resolutely without giving in to violence," Kishida said at a press conference.

Abe's unexpected death only days before the House of Councillors election on Sunday stunned the country, which is known for rigorous gun control and uncommon political violence.

Kishida said Abe deserved a state funeral for his significant contributions to Japan, which included leading efforts to recover from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which triggered the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl, revitalizing the Japanese economy, and pursuing diplomacy based on the Japan-US alliance.

The late prime minister was praised highly by the international community, and his death from a "barbaric" act that shook the foundation of democracy during campaigning has led to mourning and condolences offered at home and abroad, Kishida said.

After Abe's death, people thronged outside a Buddhist temple where his funeral was held Tuesday and formed a long line to lay flowers and pay respects at the Liberal Democratic Party's headquarters in Tokyo.

The LDP, along with its coalition partner Komeito, clinched a sweeping victory Sunday.

Kishida has vowed to move forward with discussions on revising the Constitution, an unaccomplished goal of Abe, who remained an influential figure within the party and on the Japanese political landscape even after he stepped down as premier in 2020.