Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has attended the state funeral of former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe. He represented the Maldives on behalf of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih as his special envoy at the funeral service held in Tokyo.
In addition to Minister Shahid, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel and Ambassador to Japan Hassan Sobir participated in the funeral service. A number of state leaders and other foreign dignitaries were also present at the service.
In July, President Solih signed the book of condolences, which was opened at the Embassy of Japan in the Maldives in Abe's memory. In his message, President Solih described Abe as an extraordinary and visionary leader who elevated Japan to new levels of development and prosperity on a global scale. He also noted that he was cherished by the Maldivian people as he was a close friend and ally of the country.
Japan's longest-serving modern leader, Abe was gunned down on July 8 during a campaign speech in the western city of Nara. He was pronounced dead around five and a half hours after the shooting.
Groomed for leadership from a young age, Abe served two terms as prime minister and stepped down in 2020 citing ill health. But he had remained a dominant presence over the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), controlling one of its major factions. Abe hailed from a wealthy political family that included a foreign minister father and a grandfather who served as premier.