Among those attending the memorial service for the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Ms. Akie Abe, wife of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, according to Kyodo News.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a memorial service for late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on July 8, 2023.
At a meeting after the memorial service, Prime Minister Kishida said he would “put all his efforts into resolving national issues and continue to sow seeds for the future,” referring to Abe’s unfulfilled goals, including revising Japan’s pacifist constitution to clarify the legal status of the Self-Defense Forces.
Memorial service on the first anniversary of the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at Zojoji Temple in Tokyo on July 8, 2023
Near where Mr Abe was shot in the western Japanese city of Nara, dozens of people lined up in the morning to lay flowers, including a 35-year-old woman who said: "I can't believe he's gone."
People pray outside Yamato-Saidaiji Station, where Shinzo Abe was shot a year ago, during a memorial service for him in Nara city on July 8, 2023.
"There are many ways to judge Mr. Abe, but the use of violence is unacceptable," Kyodo News quoted Yui Sugiyama, a 35-year-old company employee residing in Nara.
"I want the incident to be thoroughly investigated," said Hayato Sugiyama, a 58-year-old company executive.
People pray outside Yamato-Saidaiji Station during a memorial service for the first anniversary of the death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Nara City on July 8, 2023.
Mr Abe died on July 8, 2022, after being shot at close range while giving a campaign speech two days before the lower house election. Because gun ownership is tightly controlled in Japan, which prides itself on being a safe society, the deadly shooting sent shockwaves at home and abroad.
The suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, was arrested on the spot. Yamagami, who had a grudge against the Unification Church, blamed the religious organization for bankrupting his mother. He also blamed the late Prime Minister Abe for promoting the Unification Church through social media posts.
Police officers stand guard as people offer flowers and pray for the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Zojoji Temple in Tokyo on July 8, 2023, during a ceremony marking the first anniversary of his assassination.
Prime Minister Kishida says he has no ties to the cult, but his approval rating has fallen to its lowest since he took office, as several of his cabinet members have ties to the cult.
Mr Kishida's LDP has announced it is cutting all ties with the Unification Church and has tried to assuage voters' concerns by reshuffling cabinet members.
The Japanese government also began investigating the Unification Church in November 2022, paving the way for a court request to consider stripping the organization of its status as a religious corporation that enjoys tax benefits.
Since Mr. Abe’s shooting, Japanese police have also tightened security measures for high-ranking officials. In addition, political parties have requested the use of indoor venues to facilitate security checks and ensure distance between speakers and audiences, according to NHK.
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