Tokyo,Sept 27,2022: Japan on Tuesday bid a final farewell to the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the country’s longest serving leader, at a state funeral.
The 67-year-old politician was gunned down at an election rally in July, the BBC reported.
Some 20,000 police officers have been reportedly being deployed for the security at the event being held at the Nippon Budokan arena in central Tokyo.
Thousands of dignitaries from all over the world, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seated in the arena.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida received the ashes, which appear to be contained in a ceremonial box.
He then formally handed it to military officers who placed the box in the centre of the altar, set up at the front of the room.
Up to 1,000 soldiers are set to perform ceremonial duties, with a military honour guard firing 19 blank rounds from a cannon to salute the former Prime Minister.
This is only the second state funeral held in Japan. The other was for former Prime Minister Yoshida Shigeru 55 years ago.
Members of the public have been laying flowers outside the venue to pay their respects. Flags at government offices across Japan are also being flown at half-mast, reports public broadcaster NHK.
