Shinzo Abe: Why a state funeral for slain ex-PM is controversial

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

Shinzo Abe: Why a state funeral for slain ex-PM is controversial

By Rupert Wingfield-Hayes
BBC News, Tokyo

26 September 2022

A week ago, the global "great and good" were gathered in London for the state funeral of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. Now many of them are heading to the other side of the world for another state funeral - for Japan's slain former prime minister Shinzo Abe.

But the Japanese, it appears, are not thrilled about it - not least because it's estimated to cost $11.4m (1.65bn yen; £10.1m).

In the last few weeks opposition to the state funeral has been growing. Polls suggest more than half of the country's population is now against holding it.

Earlier this week, a man set himself on fire near the prime minister's office in Tokyo. And on Monday around 10,000 protestors marched through the streets of the capital demanding the funeral be called off.

But, on the other hand, the event is drawing Japan's allies from across the globe. US President Joe Biden will not attend, but his vice-president Kamala Harris will. Singapore's prime minister Lee Hsien Loong is coming.

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Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62976786

[soryang]

1. FOCUS: Abe damaged Japan's democracy, left legacy of power abuse: critics

KYODO NEWS By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Sep 25, 2022 - 13:43

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's July assassination has caused the nation's political pundits to reflect on his legacy, with some arguing he jeopardized Japan's democracy and abused his power for personal gain during his eight years as leader.

Incumbent Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he decided to hold a state funeral for Abe in order to "defend democracy," but critics point out the former leader, who was not welcoming of views inconsistent with his own, did much to hurt Japan's democratic policy-making process.

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As the head of the government, Abe became mired in scandals in which he was alleged to have misused political funds and engaged in cronyism. At the same time, he was able to push through administrative regulation changes and appoint officers at his convenience, which allowed him an authoritarian-like command over politics, the pundits say.

On the diplomatic front, foreign policy direction was largely set by Abe's office, eventually causing Japan's relations with its neighbors China, Russia and South Korea to deteriorate significantly, they said.

"Abe's government was a nightmare for the public," Japanese freelance journalist Akihiro Otani told Kyodo News, arguing the former leader, who tried to thoroughly eliminate his political enemies, deprived voters, bureaucrats and lawmakers of their rightful freedom to operate in a democracy.

more:

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/09/ca24435da0af-focus-abe-damaged-japans-democracy-left-legacy-of-power-abuse-critics-say.html