Opposition to the funeral has been growing in recent weeks, with thousands of Japanese marching against it.
Shinzo Abe reshaped Japan's foreign policy, which won him both supporters and detractors
But, on the other hand, the event is drawing Japan's allies from across the globe. US President Joe Biden will not attend, but his vice-president Kamala Harris will. Singapore's prime minister Lee Hsien Loong is coming. So the decision to hold a state funeral for him is also a reflection of his stature. No-one served longer in the prime minister's office and, arguably, no other post-war politician had such an impact on Japan's position in the world."He was ahead of his time," says Professor Kazuto Suzuki, a political scientist and former Abe advisor.
Abe took over leadership and created the even more confusingly named Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific partnership, or CPTPP. "Abe passed the collective self-defense bill," protestor Machiko Takumi said. "It means Japan will fight with the Americans, which means he made Japan able to go to war again, that's why I oppose a state funeral."
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