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© Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Hundreds demand cancellation of Abe's state funeral
By YURI KAGEYAMA TOKYO©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
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kurisupisu
And how many millions share the same sentiment in Japan as the protestors?
Michael Machida
So many Japanese nationals want this sham good bye party stopped however I met one who thinks this is a good thing for Japan. They are out there.
Good
Let the Unif Church hold his funeral privately. It's what Abe would have wanted.
u_s__reamer
Oops! Kishida's Abepalooza has been upstaged by the queen's funeral extravaganza. And, in any case, no good will come of a political PR stunt paid for by an unwilling public.
divinda
Wonder how many protestors voted LDP in the most recent election, or anytime during Abe's reign.
Yubaru
The funeral was over weeks ago. This is just a photo-shoot for the LDP paying their homage to the dear leader they lost!
Nippori Nick
Hundreds? Why even report it?
PTownsend
But fortunately the police seemed to have left the protestors alone and did not drag them off to jail like is done in most autocratic regimes. Nor did they stop the media from reporting on the protest. And maybe some of the protestors plus some reading about the protests will come to understand why people are protesting and realize it's long passed time to vote out the aging politicians in the LDP, especially those who think Japan is their fiefdom and continue to ignore the needs of regular, i.e. people not born to wealth and power, Japanese. So as Jim Carrey said "... there's still a chance.
dan
A waste of tax payers money is what this homage to Abe is..LDP is a disgrace.
wallace
The right to demonstrate and protest is an important one.
JTC
It is a waste of money. And, given the scandals over the Olympics and Moonies, it would be best that the Government just gets on with Governing, and as they like to often say to neighboring Nations, "looking forward, to the future, rather than back at the past"....
dagon
Not really. The US and Japan as well have shown how to marginalize such protest movements.
-Have a populace in precarious labor conditions too preoccupied with finances.
-Have massive police escorts and protests only in prescribed zones to minimize any disruptive effect to magnify the message.
-Have a political monopoly or duopoly where the will of even massive opposition can be ignored.
Ayachan
No was not King. He was PM who served the Japanese people.
Wesley
His policies supported DEFENDING Japan from war.
Fighto!
It still is not proven that Abe was a member of the Moonies.
I do agree that the funeral should be much smaller and cheaper. Zero need for foreign Heads of State or dignitaries, as Abe certainly was not a Head of State.
Pukey2
PTownsend:
True. During the start of the Truss regime in the UK, people were dragged away and arrested simply for holding placards, some of them being completely blank, during the mourning of the dear leader. Police were following anyone who dared say they were not a fan of Charles.
Gambare Nippon:
Nobody said he was. You don't have to be a member to accept their donation or speak at their meetings.
He's already had his funeral. Where have you been? Why don't you pay for this photo-op, if you're so enthusiastic about your Dear Leader.
Numan
Japanese voters get what they pay for, and so do the non voters, literally (taxes). Japanese citizens voted for the same corrupt politicians (Abe) over and over again; thus, corrupt politicians are going to do what corrupt politicians do.
Abe's administration is riddled with scandals. Even in death, scandal, corruption and controversy surrounds his name.
Whenever I remind my Japanese friends of this fact because they all vote, they seem to have an excuse or choose to change the subject. Then they go a vote for the same LDP members the next election cycle.
Has anyone notice that Koike is missing? Hmmmm, I wonder why?
Numan
@ayachan
Abe worked for himself which is why his political career ended in disgrace. He had an international reputation for being corrupt which is rare because people rarely care much about Japanese politics.
It also explains many important people personally not attending, but they are sending the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th officials instead.
Simon Foston
AyachanToday 08:29 am JST
He served himself and small cliques of cronies who helped him get re-elected, i.e. himself.
rcch
Good. It looks like the Japanese are starting to “wake up”; better late than never; (by waking up I mean that) we already know that millions are against it (seventy percent of the population), but one thing is answering surveys, another one is showing the government and the world how you feel (by doing that you’re showing them that you’re not afraid). I would prefer if it was thousands, not hundreds, but… it’s a start; hoping this to be the beginning of the end of the ldp, in other words (let’s say it), the one political party system.
tamanegi
Abe’s state funeral has drawn ample comparisons to the recent state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in Britain.
Totally absurd and false claim.
The Avenger
Remember seeing one protestor sign that said, “Even from the grave he’s misusing tax dollars.”
Classic. I love it.
MilesTeg
Whether absurd or not, there is a comparison being made.
"Even though the actual amount of money spent on the Queen's state funeral has not been disclosed, the Flash article cited the Daily Mirror's reported figure of £8m or 1.3bn yen to compare it to the estimated cost of ex-prime minister Shinzo Abe's funeral of 1.66bn yen.". https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63004214
Regardless of the comparison or not, that's a lot of ¥¥¥. There are surely better ways to use money to help people in need in Japan rather than spend frivolously on someone who was assassinated.
But the article also points out why it's so expensive.
*"When Tokyo-based event organiser Murayama was revealed as the only bidder - and therefore the winner of the 176m yen contract - for the state funeral, eyebrows were raised as it was the company Mr Abe used to host an annual cherry blossom party where he faced allegations of cronyism."*
Aly Rustom
this is important. Just because he was assassinated doesn't mean his corruption scandals should be forgiven or forgotten.
This is bizarre on so many levels. It diminishes Japan's standing on the world stage to hold this funeral that almost no one from the developed world wants to attend. There is absolutely no good reason to do it. not 1.
Aly Rustom
I fundamentally disagree with this statement. There is NOTHING linking the 2 individuals. The queen was a beloved monarch. Abe was a reviled right wing ultranationalist. Nothing links these 2 together. Nothing
Rodney
Wish I could be there
Aly Rustom
the corruption and rot continue from beyond the grave. unbelievable
BertieWooster
"One of the most divisive," because the useless, do-less line of "everybody's friends" who have served as PM in the postwar period were even more useless.
I'm sorry he was assassinated. I wouldn't wish that on anybody. But divisive, he wasn't.
William77
Sorry to say this but I feel no sympathy for the protesters,Simply because Most of them were the one who voted the same LDP Despite all the scandals and corruption.
Japan had several times the chance to change things with the vote and give a fresh start to its democracy Instead decided to keep this back warded ultraconservative corrupted Political class just because it felt safe that nothing will change.
Steven Mccarthy
What’s with all this whining about Abe ??? How many wars did he start ??? Oh ! Zero …. 3x prime minister…. Longest serving…. Ever …. Respected around the world and at home ! William 77…. Spot on !
William77
To be more clear I think that Mr Abby was a total corrupted and inefficient prime minister With a hawkish revisionist view And what I said is that the people are guilty as well that they kept voting for this rotting party which is the LDP.
William77
Steven Mccarthy
To be more clear I think that Mr.Abe was a total corrupted and inefficient prime minister With a hawkish revisionist view And what I said is that the people are guilty as well that they kept voting for this rotting party which is the LDP.
Simon Foston
Aly RustomToday 10:26 am JST
No good reasons as far as anyone else is concerned, but to me it looks like a spectacularly ham-fisted attempt to keep Abe's right-wing, ultranationlist swivel-eyed lunatic voter base within the LDP fold.
TokyoLiving
That's not going to happen, Abe San will have the state funeral he deserves..
Hideomi Kuze
This Japan version "state funeral" is undemocratic and constitutional violation political event without legal basis that government ignores even deliberation at the Diet and decided dogmatically.
stickman1760
Trump should attend. They were best of friends. Oh wait, that was just shameless a$$ kissing
Simon Foston
Steven MccarthyToday 10:57 am JST
Why don't you try reading the article, it might give you some idea.
Neither have any other Japanese prime ministers in the last 70 years. It's hardly a stellar achievement.
That's down to the fragmented state of the opposition since 2012.
You might get that impression if you just read the condolences messages. They tend to be quite polite.
stickman1760
the Tokyo streets are now crawling with cops twiddling their thumbs and trying to look important. Complete waste of time and taxpayer money.
between this funeral and the shambolic Tokyo Olympics think of the wasted money.
MilesTeg
You didn't read the BBC article. If you did, you'd know the comparison was about the cost. The rest of what you wrote is utterly irrelevant.
Simon Foston
TokyoLivingToday 11:40 am JST
Why does he deserve it?
kennyG
These protesters? Can't you see the flags which says Saitama Union or those wearing red vests saying Hiroshima Union in the photo? They seem all are from Unions who are the last to vote for LDP
mtuffizi
"abe's policies supported war" - omg
i believe he tried to protect japan for future invasion and for the safety of japan.*shogun36
oh no........not the keystone cops?!?!?
So, they actually had to do some work?
Poor kiddies.
BTW, I really enjoy it when comments say, more cops are needed and payroll is up for that. But aren't they just DOING their actual job? Why would you need to raise the labor costs for that? They are actually just NOW earning their pay.
Numan
The less liked a person is, the more their supporters have to spend to make it appear that people (Abe) was really liked by others.
Countries are sending their 2,3 &4 tier representatives to this memorial. No one who is really respected is attending this waste of money.
Lindsay
Loving or hating his policies is irrelevant. Yes, he was a huge failure as a PM in the eyes of many but he still managed to become Japan’s longest serving PM. He comes from a rich and powerful family going back generations. He was assassinated while campaigning. All these points together add up to him being entitled to a state funeral. I don’t like it either but that’s the way it is and should be.
itsonlyrocknroll
Any cancelation of Shinzo Abe’s state funeral state funeral would represent a national humiliation.
It would also could be construed as a loss of face for the people of Japan.
Let alone the hurt this would cause to Shinzo Abe family, Widow
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida cabinet failed to engage public opinion on the political nuances of tax payer funding for such and event. All unnecessarily opening a can of worms on whether Shinzo Abe premiership was disserving of a state funeral.
jeancolmar
I am with the protesters. Abe could have had a decent and simple Japanese funeral without the mobs of VIPs. There is dignity in simplicity. Gaudiness is not only a waste of money; it also diminishes the spirt.
jeancolmar
Before anyone asks me, "What about the enormous sums spent on public mourning for the late Queen Elizabeth" I'll say this. Elizabeth II is business of the UK and its Commonwealth nations. I am not paying for Queen Elizabeth's funeral and expenses, On the contrary, my taxes are going into Abe's funeral and I have something to say about it. I feel it is, to put it as politely as I can, unconsciously expensive and inappropriate for a Prime Minister.
theResident
Mmm. Several 'hundred' protesters. That kind of sums it up. Seems that more non Japanese residents on this Webpage alone are against it.
Don't agree with it either, but there's a lot of other things you could be complaining about where your taxes are going.
Move on.
itsonlyrocknroll
If any are seriously suggesting that this LDP Government after inviting world leaders, Fumihito, Crown Prince Akishino and family, are suddenly going to cancel Shinzo Abe’s state funeral, you living in cloud cuckoo land.
The most effective way to protest is at the ballot box, the only way to force change.
That, has to date, never happened, has it?
Why? for a start 18 to 25 year olds fail to register to vote, let alone make to the ballot box.
This protest is meaningless, it a hissy fit, without cause to create political movement.
I asked my neighbours if they knew how to lobby there Diet representative?
The answer was simple, why would we want to?
That cuts to the heart of the matter. It is to late to cancel
theResident
@blue: Well, that was several minutes of your time wasted copying and pasting 7 links at that I will never look at. I am not a citizen, just a resident. Nothing I can do about it, nor particularly care other than just wonder ‘Why?’
Also, there is absolutely zero chance of this ‘opposition’ being successful as @itsonlyrocknroll has correctly and succinctly pointed out
Alan Harrison
It still is not proven that Abe was a member of the Moonies.
I do agree that the funeral should be much smaller and cheaper. Zero need for foreign Heads of State or dignitaries, as Abe certainly was not a Head of State.
@Fighto! There seems to be some confusion in Japan as to what a State Funeral is. This seems more like a Ceremonial Funeral similar to the one held in the UK for the late Margaret Thatcher. You are right, it has no comparison for the Head of State. (The last Head of State Funeral in Japan being 1989).
I don't think that the Unification Church issue is relevant.
kennyG
I doubt any non-Japanese residents in Japan supporting LDP would even read JT or post comments here
itsonlyrocknroll
theResident. I am willing to bet that most of the protesters will huff and puff, but at the next election will vote for the LDP ruling party.
That is the way it is, I have learnt to just, shamefully, to refrain to mentioning politics at social gatherings any more, silence is golden.
My family don't want to pay for this state funeral. in fact every one of my neighbours was less than happy.
I mentioned we could compose a letter to our MP, silence, a polite letter I countered, the de facto community leader whispered no!
theResident
@itsonlyrocknroll: Correct, and until Japan has a credible opposition, that's exactly how it will be.
cleo
He already did.
I thought citizens were automatically added to the electoral register when they reach voting age?
voiceofokinawa
It's next to impossible, now, to cancel the state funeral of Shinzo Abe, which is scheduled on Tuesday next week. But one can keep criticizing him for his extreme pro-U.S. and anti-democratic policies during his stint as prime minister. U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emmanuel said Thursday that he and other U.S. dignitaries would attend the funeral with this in mind – Abe was the most friendly prime minister to the U.S.
The Futenma to Henoko relocation is the case in point. The only solution is for the base to be closed unconditionally now and forever. Sit-downs by conscientious protesters against it marked 3,000 days yesterday, and yet the landfill work at Henoko is forging ahead, which Abe had originally sanctioned in sympathy with the U.S. government but in complete disregard of Okinawa’s consensus.
jeancolmar
Thank you Blue. This worth repeating: "Abe has been one of the most if not the most divisive, controversial and corrosive politician in recent years. He was when in office and alive, which sealed his public image before he was killed." We taxpayers are forking out the yen for the afterlife.
itsonlyrocknroll
Cleo, I have always suspected that to be the case, however when I have politely asked younger members of my family they shut me down and insist they did not register.
Aunt rock'n'bore is about to lecture on politics.
Simon Foston
LindsayToday 02:21 pm JST
Not very hard under the circumstances.
So people should be honoured because of their backgrounds, not their accomplishments?
A hereditary politician who had everything handed to him and never won an election against a credible opposition? That doesn't add up to much in my opinion.
You lost me with "should be."
itsonlyrocknroll
Cleo I messed up from day one, I foolishly believed that political debate amongst the next generation, at least in my close family has any relevance to there futures.
My fault,
They are more interested in my vintage pinball machines.
I have learnt patience though. They struggle at Maths and Sciences.
cleo
Itsonlyrocknroll: They insist they did not register (to vote) because they didn’t register, it happens automatically. When the birth of a baby is registered, that registration follows the person around wherever they move in Japan, and at appropriate times notices are sent out about school enrollment, vaccination, elections, etc.
Whether individuals are actually interested in using their vote is a different matter, of course.
Peter14
Several hundred call for stopping a state funeral, out of 125 million people. Many less than would have been expected by all the noise of anti Abe people.
No real reason to cancel this funeral for an internationally recognized statesman of high standing in the world of national politics. He always represented Japan well.
Hito Bito
"Hundreds" lol. Next!
oldman_13
What relevance does that have to do with the protestors? The fact that any Japanese person, let alone hundreds of them, marched outside in vocal protest of the funeral refutes the outdated stereotype about all Japanese being apathetic, stoic, and afraid to voice their opinion ("the blade of grass that goes against the grain"). And once this outdated stereotype is exposed, the detractor's next ploy is to infer that any such protests are relatively miniscule and does not represent Japan as a whole. It's never a win-win situation with these detractors.
Hundreds of millions of people agree with protestors around the world on various issues, yet only a fraction of them actually take the time and effort to be vocal about it in public.
Simon Foston
Hito BitoToday 02:55 am JST
Next, the state funeral is going to put a big spotlight on the scandals that dogged the Abe adminstration and the deeply institutionalised cronyism, nepotism and corruption that Shinzo Abe personified. Media outlets around the world are going to be looking into why this issue is so contentious and the stuff they uncover about Abe is going to get a lot of attention. The LDP are not going to come out of this looking good.
theResident
Foreign media will show little interest once this event is over, if any. There is very little interest thus far anyway. A couple of small mentions on the BBC website, a bit in The Times.
Much more important issues like the discovery of genocide happening in the occupied areas of Ukraine and the very likely use of a tactical nuke by Putin will dominate the news for weeks again now.
The LDP (unknowingly) chose a good time to shield this from foreign press interest.
Brian Adams-Reed
Hundreds in a country of 127 million. That’s insignificant. The left is politicizing a great man’s death. That’s shameful.