Azmin to represent PM at funeral for Japan's Shinzo Abe

International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali will represent Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob at the state funeral ceremony for former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.

The state funeral will be held on Sept 27 at Nippon Budokan, Tokyo.

The foreign ministry in a statement today said that the ceremony would include a greeting session with Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in the presence of Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, Hirokazu Matsuno, and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi.

Azmin will also extend condolences to Abe’s spouse, Akie Abe, at the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo.

Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, was assassinated while delivering an election speech in Nara on July 8. 

During his tenure as prime minister, Abe visited Malaysia three times. He also played an instrumental role in enhancing bilateral relations including further strengthening the Look East Policy. 

His last visit to Malaysia as the special envoy of the prime minister of Japan was to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Look East Policy in March 2022. 

During the visit, he had an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, as well as a meeting with Ismail.