Shinzo Abe's State Funeral, PM Modi Among World Leaders Present

Mr Abe was shot dead while making a campaign speech three months back in the southern Japanese city of Nara.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today joined several world leaders in paying tribute to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his state funeral in Tokyo. Roses paid tribute to the former leader. Japan on Tuesday began a controversial state funeral for assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

With his widow Aki carrying his ashes to a hall in Tokyo where thousands of mourners have gathered.

The ceremony saw public opposition over the huge costs incurred, and also because state funerals are for the imperial family. This is only the second time a politician has had a state funeral, and the most recent was decades ago.

Recent opinion polls have shown that about 60 percent of Japanese oppose this event.

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Wearing a black kimono, Aki carried the ashes in a box covered with an ornate cloth to the Budokan Place where 19 salutes were fired in honor of the former prime minister.

The former prime minister reshaped Japan's foreign policy,

Including setting a bold vision to achieve a qualitative leap in relations with India.

Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday met his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida and underlined the late Japanese leader's contributions to strengthening the bilateral partnership as well as his vision for an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

Abe was the tallest in Japan-

He serves as prime minister and one of the country's most famous political figures, known for developing international alliances and his "Abenomics" economic strategy.

"I will travel to Tokyo tonight to attend the state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a dear friend and great hero of Indo-Japanese friendship," Prime Minister Modi wrote on Twitter.

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