Shinzo Abe, the assassinated ex-PM of Japan, whose rare state funeral is causing a furore

Japan is holding a rare state funeral on Tuesday for Shinzo Abe, the assassinated former prime minister, amid a raging controversy over its cost which some estimate to be bigger than the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. His association with Unification Church, which was said to be the motive of the killer, is equally controversial. Critics of the government accuse the church of having an oversize influence over the ruling party.

Several world leaders including US Vice President Kamala Harris and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are attending the funeral of Abe, who was 67 when he was killed.

The longest serving prime minister of Japan was delivering a speech in western Nara city when he was shot dead on July 8 in broad day light by Tetsuya Yamagami, using a homemade gun. Abe was shot in the back. Abe was supporting a Liberal Democratic Party candidate's election campaign. He collapsed at around 11.30 am, was taken to hospital but could not be saved.

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Who is the killer?

Tetsuya Yamagami was immediately taken into custody after the shooting forattemptedmurder.

According to Fuji TV, Shinzo Abe's shooter is former personnel of Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force. He had been in the service till 2005. However, officials are yet to make an official announcement.

Later reports said that the killer was dissatisfied with Abe as he promoted Unification Church, to which his mother had donated large sums of money, which reportedly left the family broke.

Shinzo Abe's career

Born in 1954, Abe was the Prime Minister of Japan from 2006 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2020.

Abe held the crucial posts of Chief Cabinet Secretary and leader of the opposition in his illustrious career. Abe's career in public life began in 1993 when he was elected to the House of Representatives.

Abe is ideologically inclined towards conservatism. He had been described by commentators as a right-wing Japanese nationalist. He was a member of Nippon Kaigi, a group that denies several key aspects of Japanese history, including the recruitment of 'comfort women' during World War 2.

In August 2020, Shinzo Abe had to resign as the prime minister of Japan due to ulcerative colitis.

(With inputs from agencies)

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