(NewsGlobal.com)- Last Friday, the Japanese cabinet approved the arrangements for a September 27 state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was assassinated earlier this month.
According to chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, the state funeral would be a simple, somber, and non-denominational service.
September’s event will be only the second state funeral for a Japanese leader since the end of World War Two. The only other post-war leader to receive such an honor was Shigeru Yoshida in 1967.
On Monday, the Japanese government notified all nations with which it has diplomatic ties letting them know about the September 27 state funeral.
Over the weekend, Japan’s Sankei daily reported that the government was leaning away from inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, Russia was among the countries notified on Monday.
That same day, the Kremlin announced that Putin will not be in attendance.
In a press briefing on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Putin has no plan to travel to Japan for Abe’s funeral, adding that the Kremlin hasn’t decided whether or not to send someone else to represent Russia instead.
After Abe was fatally shot on July 8, President Putin sent a telegram to his family offering his condolences over his death.
But Moscow isn’t particularly happy with Japan at the moment, in large part due to Japan’s actions after Russian forces invaded Ukraine five months ago.
Japan has supported Ukraine in the ongoing conflict and has taken action against Moscow, including expelling Russian diplomats and imposing sanctions on Moscow. So you can understand why Putin isn’t eager to attend.
A private funeral for Shinzo Abe was held two weeks ago at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo.
