Japanese Pm Kishida To Keep Records On Rationale For Abe's State Funeral
Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says he plans to keep records on the rationale for former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's state funeral for use in future debates.
Abe was fatally shot during an election campaign speech in July.
As thousands of people gathered to mourn at his funeral on Tuesday, others opposed to the event staged protests.
In a lecture given in Tokyo on Wednesday, Kishida said the funeral allowed Japan to calmly bid farewell to the former prime minister. He added that he believes he was able to respond sincerely to the numerous condolences offered from across the country and abroad, thanks to support from many people.
Kishida noted that it is important to keep records on the reasoning and intentions behind the state funeral so that they can be used in future debates.
The suspect of the attack on Abe reportedly holds a grudge against the former Unification Church. He is said to believe Abe had close ties with the religious group.
The group has been accused of forcing followers to purchase items by inciting anxieties about spiritual matters.
Kishida said it has become clear that politicians of both the ruling and opposition camps had links with the group. He said those politicians should fully explain their relations and sever ties.
Kishida also spoke about a plan to draw up economic measures to cope with rising prices. He said a full-scale economic package to protect both consumers and businesses needs to be compiled at the upcoming extraordinary Diet session.