Japan’s Sankei Shimbun yesterday published an article by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) commemorating the life of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, whose state funeral is to take place today.
Abe, the longest-serving prime minister in modern Japanese history, was fatally shot at close range during a campaign rally in Nara on July 8. He was 67.
The best way to commemorate Abe would be for democratic nations to unite and “safeguard the shared value of freedom and democracy,” Wu wrote.
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
Abe was not afraid of attacks from China, as he repeatedly showed “sincere care and firm support for Taiwan as Japanese prime minister,” which made his passing painful for Taiwanese, he wrote.
Taiwanese would always remember Abe’s remark that “a Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency,” as well as his concern and prompt assistance when natural disasters struck Taiwan, he added.
Former legislative speakers Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) and Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday departed for Japan to attend Abe’s funeral. They are to be accompanied by Representative to Japan Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) at the ceremony at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.
The delegation would offer condolences on behalf of the Taiwanese authorities and citizens, and convey the message that Taiwan would “continue to walk side by side with Japan” to “defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” the Presidential Office said on Sept. 15.
In related news, US Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Japan as the head of a US delegation to attend Abe’s funeral.
In a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo yesterday, Harris reaffirmed the US’ commitment to Japan’s defense.
They also condemned China’s actions in the Taiwan Strait.
“They discussed the People’s Republic of China’s recent aggressive and irresponsible provocations in the Taiwan Strait, and reaffirmed the importance of preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the White House said in a statement.
Harris also discussed North Korea’s recent ballistic missile test with Kishida, as well as the importance of resolving the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea, the statement said.
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