September 26
PM Modi will be leaving to Tokyo, Japan tonight to participate in the state funeral of former Japanese PM, Shinzo Abe.
In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said;
“I am traveling to Tokyo tonight to participate in the State Funeral of former PM Shinzo Abe, a dear friend and a great champion of India-Japan friendship.”
“I will be conveying heartfelt condolences to Prime Minister Kishida and Mrs. Abe on behalf of all Indians. We will continue working to further strengthen India-Japan relations as envisioned by Abe San. @kishida230”
‘During this visit, the Prime Minister will attend the state funeral ceremony at Budokan, which would be followed by a greeting occasion at the Akasaka palace in Tokyo. He will also meet Prime Minister Kishida and Mrs. Abe, during this visit. We understand that representatives from over a hundred countries, including more than 20 Heads of State and Heads of Government are expected to participate in the state funeral tomorrow. You would recall that India had announced one-day national mourning on 9th of July, 2022, as a mark of respect for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. This visit by Prime Minister Modi will be an opportunity for him to honour the memory of former Prime Minister Abe, who he considered a dear friend and a great champion of India-Japan relationship’, said Vinay Mohan Kwatra , Foreign Secretary.
Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Abe had developed a personal bond of trust and friendship through their numerous meetings and interactions spanning over a decade beginning from Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Japan in 2007 as the then Chief Minister of Gujrat. The two leaders made enormous contributions and were singularly responsible for elevating India-Japan relations to the status of Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014, added Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary.
Foreign Secretary further briefed, ‘Prime Minister Abe made significant contributions to deepening India-Japan relations, turning largely economic relationship into a broad, Comprehensive and Strategic Partnership, making it pivotal for the security of both our countries and also for regions security. Prime Minister Abe’s famous “Confluence of two Seas” speech in the Indian parliament in 2007, laid the ground for the emergence of Indo-Pacific region as a contemporary political, strategic and economic reality. Prime Minister Abe’s contribution to India-Japan relations was recognized by the conferment upon him of the prestigious Padma Vibhushan in 2021’.
He further said, ‘This visit of Prime Minister Modi to Japan comes after Prime Minister Kishida’s visit to India for India-Japan Summit meeting earlier in March this year and Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Japan for the Quad leaders’ Summit in May this year. Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Kishida had also held the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Quad Leaders’ Summit in May. These meetings have underscored the two leaders’ continuing commitment towards further deepening India-Japan ties. This year marks the 70th Anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relationship’.
