From early hours, mourners made offerings and paid obeisance in front of a portrait of Abe, who was assassinated on July 8 while he delivered a campaign speech in Nara Prefecture.

A more private funeral was held inside the sacred precinct, in the presence of family members, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, representatives of different political factions, foreign officials and businessmen.

The farewell ceremony included a funeral procession through central Tokyo, with stops at the headquarters of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Prime Minister’s official residence and the Diet (Parliament).

Popular mourning demonstrations took place in the prefectures of Nara, where the attack occurred, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi and Fukushima, Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported.

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said that he received a total of 1,700 messages of condolences for the death of the statesman, from 259 countries and international institutions.

As part of the posthumous tribute, the Government will honor Abe with the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, the country’s highest decoration, for his professional contributions in the field of diplomacy and the nation’s economic security.

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