On Friday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a day of national mourning for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who died of gunshot wounds after being fired at in Nara, near Kyoto. Abe was shot twice from behind near a railway station at about 8 a.m. IST.
PM Modi mentioned Shinzo Abe several times on Twitter, highlighting the Japanese leader’s political prominence, friendship, and their most recent encounter in May, when Modi was in Japan for the Quad Summit. ‘As a mark of our deepest respect for former Prime Minister #ShinzoAbe, a one day national mourning shall be observed on 9 July 2022.’
According to an official notification from the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, ‘Mr. Shinzo Abe, former Prime Minister of Japan, died on July 8, 2022. As a gesture of respect for the late dignitary, the Government of India has decided to observe one day of State Mourning across the country tomorrow. On the day of mourning, the National Flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings in India where the National Flag is displayed regularly, and there will be no official entertainment’.
‘I am shocked and saddened beyond words at the tragic demise of one of my dearest friends, Shinzo Abe. He was a towering global statesman, an outstanding leader, and a remarkable administrator. He dedicated his life to making Japan and the world a better place,’ PM Modi tweeted.
‘Mr. Abe and I have a long history together. I met him during my stint as Gujarat Chief Minister, and our friendship lasted after I became Prime Minister. His keen insights into economics and world politics have always left a lasting effect on me ‘, he also noted. PM Modi also remembered his last encounter with Abe, which took place in May during his visit to Japan for the Quad Summit.
‘During my recent visit to Japan, I had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Abe again and address a variety of problems. He was as smart and intelligent as always. I had no idea this would be our last meeting. My sincere sympathies go out to his family and the Japanese people ‘, he stated in another tweet.
Dr. S Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister, uploaded a photo of them together and commented, ‘A sad day for Japan, for India, for the globe, and for me personally. Shinzo Abe’s legacy spans a quarter-century. There are no words to describe them’.
Post Your Comments