PM Modi arrives in Japan to attend former premier Shinzo Abe’s state funeral

International

pti-PTI

Tokyo,
Sep
27:
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
arrived
here
on
Tuesday
to
attend
the
state
funeral
of
former
Japanese
prime
minister
Shinzo
Abe.
Modi
will
join
several
global
leaders
to
pay
tributes
to
Abe.

Representatives
from
over
100
countries,
including
more
than
20
heads
of
state
and
governments,
are
expected
to
attend
Abe’s
funeral
on
Tuesday.
The
former
prime
minister
reshaped
Japan’s
foreign
policy,
including
setting
out
a
bold
vision
for
a
quantum
leap
in
ties
with
India.

“Landed
in
Tokyo,”
Modi
tweeted,
posting
photos
of
him
while
deplaning.
He
also
posted
a
similar
tweet
in
Japanese.

Landed
in
Tokyo.

pic.twitter.com/8L4VNNVOUL

—
Narendra
Modi
(@narendramodi)

September
26,
2022

External
Affairs
Ministry
spokesperson
Arindam
Bagchi
tweeted,
“PM
@narendramodi
arrives
in
Tokyo.
Will
participate
in
the
State
Funeral
of
former
PM
Shinzo
Abe
later
today.
Will
also
hold
a
bilateral
meeting
with
PM
@kishida230,
reaffirming
commitment
to
further
strengthening
of
India-Japan
Special
Strategic
and
Global
Partnership.”

Abe
was
shot
dead
while
making
a
campaign
speech
on
July
8
in
the
southern
Japanese
city
of
Nara.
India
observed
a
one-day
national
mourning
on
July
9
as
a
mark
of
respect
for
Abe.

At
a
media
briefing
on
Monday,
Foreign
Secretary
Vinay
Kwatra
said
Modi
will
attend
the
state
funeral
ceremony
at
Budokan,
followed
by
a
greeting
occasion
at
Akasaka
Palace,
besides
meeting
Prime
Minister
Fumio
Kishida
and
Abe’s
wife
Akie.

“The
visit
will
be
an
opportunity
for
PM
Modi
to
honour
the
memory
of
former
PM
Abe,
who
he
considered
a
dear
friend
and
a
great
champion
of
India-Japan
ties,”
he
said.

In
the
“Confluence
of
Two
Seas”
speech,
Abe
told
Indian
lawmakers
that
India-Japan
relationship
is
blessed
with
the
largest
potential
for
development
of
bilateral
relationships
anywhere
in
the
world.
Kwatra
said
Modi
and
Abe
developed
a
personal
bond
through
their
meetings
and
interactions
spanning
over
a
decade,
beginning
with
Modi’s
visit
to
Japan
in
2007
as
the
chief
minister
of
Gujarat.

“PM
Abe
made
significant
contributions
to
deepening
India-Japan
relations,
turning
a
largely
economic
relationship
into
a
broad,
comprehensive,
and
strategic
partnership,
making
it
pivotal
for
the
two
countries’ and
region’s
security,”
Kwatra
said.

“His
famous
‘Confluence
of
Two
Seas’
speech
in
the
Indian
Parliament
in
2007
laid
the
ground
for
the
emergence
of
the
Indo-Pacific
region
as
a
contemporary
political,
strategic,
and
economic
reality,”
he
said.
The
foreign
secretary
said
Abe’s
contribution
to
India-Japan
relations
was
recognised
when
India
conferred
on
him
the
prestigious
Padma
Vibhushan
award
in
2021.

“Today,
Japan
is
one
of
the
most
trusted
and
valued
strategic
partners
of
India.
The
two
sides
are
committed
to
strengthening
bilateral
partnership
on
key
areas
of
trade
and
investment,
defence
and
security,
climate
change,
health
security,
infrastructure,
digital,
industrial
development,
energy,
critical
and
emerging
technologies,
and
human
resources,
among
others,”
Kwatra
said.

Kwatra
said
there
is
deep
convergence
between
India
and
Japan
in
the
Indo-Pacific
region.
“The
bilateral
meeting
between
PM
Modi
and
PM
Kishida
during
the
upcoming
visit
will
be
an
opportunity
for
the
two
leaders
to
reaffirm
their
commitment
to
further
strengthening
of
India-Japan
Special
Strategic
and
Global
Partnership,”
he
said.

Kishida
visited
India
for
the
annual
summit
in
March
while
Modi
visited
Japan
for
the
Quad
Leaders’ Summit
in
May.
“These
meetings
underscored
the
two
leaders’
commitment
towards
deepening
India-Japan
ties,
particularly
in
the
context
of
shaping
a
post-pandemic
regional
and
global
order,”
Kwatra
said.