Why Japanese are protesting former PM Shinzo Abe’s state funeral

Protestors in Tokyo demonstrated against the state funeral of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday. The 67-year-old leader was killed in July this year after being shot at a political event. 

Several in Japan are against giving a state funeral to Abe. Polls, as per news agency AFP, showed 60% of the country’s population did not support the government’s decision. 

Also read: From Narendra Modi to Kamala Harris, leaders attending Shinzo Abe’s funeral

Leaders from the US, India,Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Australia and several countries attended Abe’s state funeral. 

The protests have been going on since two months. Japan’s incumber PM Fumio Kishida is suffering his worst approval ratings since he became the party’s leader as hundreds have taken to the streets and signed petitions opposing the state funeral.

The government says the funeral is not meant to force anyone to honour Abe. But most of the nation’s 47 prefectural governments are to fly the flag at half-staff and observe a moment of silence.

Also read: Why Japan is divided over former PM Shinzo Abe’s funeral

Opponents say Kishida’s one-sided decision without parliamentary approval was undemocratic, a reminder of how the prewar imperialist government used state funerals to fan nationalism. The prewar funeral law was abolished after World War II. The only postwar state funeral for a political leader, for Shigeru Yoshida in 1967, also faced criticism for lacking legal bases.

“Spending our valuable tax money on the state funeral with no legal basis is an act that tramples on the constitution,” rally organizer Takakage Fujita said at Monday’s indoor rally.

About 1.7 billion yen ($11.8 million) is needed for the venue, security, transportation and accommodation for the guests, the government said.

Tokyo is under maximum security. Last week, a man apparently set himself on fire near the office of Japanese Prime Minister.