Attempted self-immolation to protest Shinzo Abe’s state funeral

First modification: 09/21/2022 – 12:00

With Gonzalo Robleado, RFI correspondent in Tokyo

The discontent of the majority of the Japanese with the planned state funeral to dismiss former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had a violent note on Wednesday when a man tried to immolate himself in the neighborhood where the central government buildings are to demonstrate his disagreement with the ceremony.

The injured person was found near Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s office, a government spokesman said.

Several Japanese media indicated that the man, now hospitalized, expressed his rejection of the state funeral on September 27 in honor of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, assassinated in July.

The wounded man, in his 70s, was detained. In his possession was a note that said “I couldn’t disagree more with the state funeral.”

The ceremony, which will take place on Tuesday the 27th of this month, follows a funeral formula that dates back to the first half of the 20th century and was used to encourage the patriotism of officials.

Abe, who was assassinated when he was participating in a political rally on July 8, was a divisive figure for his nationalist politics and his determination to change the pacifist Constitution that has been in force since the end of World War II and that has kept Japan exempt from participating in international war conflicts.

The shooter, Tetsuya Yamagami, justified his action because he suspected Abe of having ties to the Unification Church (known as the Moon Sect), which had ruined his mother.

The church is accused of pressuring its followers to make large donations, a charge it denies.

Although Abe was not a member of this church, he had associated with affiliated groups. His death prompted scrutiny of the links between this group and Japanese politics.

An investigation by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the formation of Abe and Kishida, showed that half of its MPs had ties to the sect. The new prime minister promised to sever all relations with the group.