Mourners in black suits and dresses gathered at Zojoji Temple for the private funeral, while police watched over onlookers, some holding bouquets of flowers, who had braved the early afternoon heat. Hundreds of people had filed into the temple the night before to pay their respects to Abe, who was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister – a conservative who inspired unwavering faith in his supporters and loathing among his critics. The ceremony was closed to the media and limited to family and close friends, with his widow, Aki, as the chief mourner. After the service, a hearse carrying Abe’s body was to pass through central Tokyo, including the political nerve center of Nagatacho, the Diet building he first entered in 1993 and the office where he spent a tumultuous year as prime minister since 2006 and then almost eight years after his political comeback in 2012. Mourners near Zojoji Shrine carrying photos of Abe. Photo: Christopher Jue/EPA Keiko Noumi, a teacher, was among mourners who had come to offer prayers and flowers in front of a large photo of Abe set up inside the temple, showing him in a white shirt, laughing, hands on hips. “There was a feeling of security when he was in charge of the country,” he said. “I really supported him, so it’s very unfortunate.” Yuko Takehisa, a nurse’s aide who lives near Tokyo, described Abe’s death as “despicable”. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST “More could have been done to prevent this,” she said, complaining that “no one reported” the suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, to police, despite reports that he had tried firing a homemade weapon before the attack. Satoshi Ninoyu, chairman of the National Public Security Commission, said there would be a complete review of security arrangements on the day of Abe’s assassination. “We take this incident extremely seriously,” he said, according to the Nikkei newspaper. Other mourners lined up outside the headquarters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which Abe has led for nearly a decade, to leave offerings at a makeshift shrine while party officials handed out cups of iced tea. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered his condolences during a brief stop in Tokyo on Monday, and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Taiwan’s Vice President William Lai were among overseas officials attending the awakening Abe. on Monday. Kyodo news agency reported that nearly 2,000 messages of condolence have arrived from around the world. In comments posted on the Élysée’s Twitter account, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, said: “I remember all our meetings and cooperation, especially during my visit. [to Japan] in 2019 … I lost a friend. He served his country with great courage and audacity.” Public memorial services, possibly involving foreign political leaders, are expected to take place later, but no details have been announced.
