Japan bids farewell to Abe

Mark of respect: Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force personnel taking a moment of silence after firing cannons at the Budokan grounds for the state funeral of Abe in Tokyo. — Reuters

TOKYO: With flowers, prayers and a 19-gun salute, Japan honoured slain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the first state funeral for a former premier in 55 years – a ceremony that has become as controversial as he was in life.

The ceremony started at 2pm yesterday, with Abe’s ashes carried into the Nippon Budokan Hall in central Tokyo by his widow, Akie, to music from a military band and the booms of the honour-guard salute, which echoed inside the hall.