PM Lee to attend state funeral of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will attend the state funeral of Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Friday (Sep 9) in response to media queries.

Mr Abe was fatally shot during an election rally on Jul 8.

About 6,000 guests including foreign dignitaries are expected to attend the ceremony for Japan’s longest-serving premier, which will be held on Sep 27 at Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan hall.

Other world leaders who have confirmed their attendance include US Vice President Kamala Harris and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Japanese officials said in late August that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was planning to attend the event.

A representative from Taiwan will also be there, although the government is still discussing who it will send.

China has not announced who it will send, or if it will send anyone. The Kremlin previously said in July that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending the funeral.