Egypt participates in state funeral for assassinated former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe

CAIRO – 27 September 2022: Egypt participated on Tuesday in the state funeral that Japan held in Tokyo for its former Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated early in July.

Abe was cremated days after his assassination by a man in his forties while giving a campaign speech in Nara city in western Japan. A private funeral had been held earlier for Abe at the Zojoji temple.

 

Egyptian Minister of Transport Kamel El-Wazir, accompanied by Ambassador to Tokyo Mohamed Abu Bakr, attended the state funeral as a representative of Egypt at this significant event as per the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The funeral saw the participation of official delegations from around 217 countries, provinces, and international organizations, the ministry said, noting that over 6,000 people from inside and outside Japan attended the event.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, and Abe’s widow, Akie Abe, welcomed the Egyptian delegation.

Minister Wazir extended condolences by the Egyptian leadership, people, and government to Japan over the death of Abe “who was an exceptional leader for Japan and a true friend to Egypt,” the statement said.

The transport minister also highlighted the deep relations binding the Egyptian and Japanese sides.

After Abe’s death on 8 July, President Sisi offered his deep condolences for the death of the former Japanese leader.

“With deep sorrow and sadness, I received the news of the death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after a treacherous assassination. Shinzo Abe was a loyal friend of Egypt, loving it [Egypt], and was supporting it at all times and circumstances,” said Sisi in a statement.

“During his tenure, our bilateral relations witnessed an unprecedented development at all levels. I offer my condolences to the friendly Japanese people for the loss of such a great leader,” President Sisi added.

“I assure that Egypt would never forget the efforts Shinzo Abe exerted to consolidate our cooperation. We will immortalize his name as it should be,” the President affirmed.