Indians remember Abe San very well, Modi says at Shinzo Abe’s funeral

India will always be sad to lose Shinzo Abe Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Tuesday when Modi attended the state funeral of the former premier of Japan in addition to saying that “people from India will always remember Abe San very much, are very fond of Japan extremely”.

Premier of Japan Fumio Kishida — shortly after his arrival in Tokyo for a brief visit on Tuesday, Modi stated, “We are meeting today amid sorrow. When I arrived in Japan this morning, I felt more grieved. The last time I visited Japan to Japan, I had a long chat about Abe San. I never imagined that, when I left, I’d need to learn this kind of information.”

“Along with Abe San, you, in the capacity of the Foreign Minister, elevated the relationship between Japan and India to new heights and extended it in various areas. Our friendship, that is, the friendship between India and Japan, has also played an important role in establishing a global influence. For all this, the present people in India will always remember Abe San very much, and they remember Japan extremely. India is always looking for him in a certain manner,” said Modi.

“But I am sure that under your leadership, relations between Japan and India will continue to grow and reach higher levels. And I am convinced we’ll be able to be part of finding solutions to the issues that face our world,” said the official.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), earlier in the day, both leaders engaged in a “productive exchange of ideas regarding the need to strengthen the bilateral relationship further”. “The Prime Minister acknowledged the role played by the late prime minister Abe in strengthening the India-Japan partnership and developing the concept of an open, free, and cooperative Indo-Pacific area,” said the MEA statement.

“They were also discussing a range of global and regional issues. Leaders renewed their commitment to further enhancing their Indian-Japan Special Strategic, Global Partnership and cooperating across the region, as well as diverse international groups and institutions,” added the statement.

Had a fruitful meeting with PM Kishida. We discussed various bilateral subjects. I conveyed my condolences on the tragic demise of former PM Shinzo Abe. @kishida230 pic.twitter.com/B46HQ4tbca

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 27, 2022

Before departing for Japan, Modi said Monday, the day before he left, he would be meeting Akie Abe, the wife of the former premier of Japan. Modi posted on Twitter, “I will send my heartfelt condolences to the Prime Secretary Kishida as well as Akie. Abe, on behalf of all Indians. We will continue to build stronger relations between India and Japan as envisaged by Abe San.”

India has announced one-day national mourning on Jul 9 to show reverence for Abe, who was killed in a campaign speech three months ago.

Before leaving Delhi on Monday, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said, “The bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Kishida in the coming visit will provide an opportunity for both leaders to reiterate their commitment to continue to to intensify the China-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership.”

Kwatra added, “This visit by Prime Minister Modi is an opportunity to honour the memory of the former Prime Minister Abe, whom he believed to be an incredibly close friend and an advocate for the relationship between Japan and India.”

He claimed that PM Modi and Abe had formed a “personal connection of friendship and trust” due to their numerous meetings and interactions that span more than a decade, beginning with his trip in Japan in 2007 when he was the chief minister at the time of Gujarat.

The Foreign Secretary noted that Abe had made a “significant contribution” in enhancing the relationship between Japan and India that transforming a mostly economic partnership into a broad and extensive strategic relationship, which is vital to ensure the security of our countries, as well as to ensure the safety of the region.

“Prime Minister Abe’s infamous “Confluence of two Seas” speech to the Indian Parliament in 2007 was the catalyst for the development of the Indo-Pacific region as a current economic, strategic, and political reality… His contribution to the development of relations between Japan and India was recognized with the awarding to him the highly coveted Padma Vibhushan in 2021,” Kwatra said.

Modi’s latest visit to Japan comes after Modi’s PM Modi to Japan is following the time that Prime Minister Kishida was in India to attend the Japan-India Summit meeting in March of this year. Modi’s trip to Japan to attend the Quad Leaders’ Summit later in May. Modi and Kishida were also at the two-way meeting in conjunction with the Quad Leaders Summit in May.

Kwatra claimed that Japan is among India’s “most respected and trusted strategic allies”. “The two countries are both determined to strengthen the partnership between them in crucial areas, including trade and investment as well as defence and security as well as health security, climate change infrastructure industrial development, digital space as well as energy, and new technologies, as well as human resources in addition. 

There is a strong coherence in our perspectives regarding the Indo-Pacific region, and there is a close collaboration between us in matters of international significance,” said the Foreign Secretary.