Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, one of the country's most powerful and influential figures, has died after being shot during a campaign speech on Friday in Nara, Japan. He was shot from behind minutes after he started his speech.
Shinzo Abe, known for his economic reforms and policies, helped charter the growth of the Japanese economy and his push for reforms known as Abenomics.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the demise of the former Japanese PM and in a series of tweets, said, “I am shocked and saddened beyond words at the tragic demise of one of my dearest friends, Shinzo Abe.
PM Modi, in a series of tweets, shared details of his friendship with Abe, a picture of both meeting for India-Japan ties and declared one-day national mourning on 9 July 2022. He said, today, the whole of India mourns with Japan and India stands in solidarity with Japan in this difficult moment.
Interestingly, Shinzo Abe's maternal grandfather also shared close ties with India.
The common areas of collaboration between Japan and India ranged from civilian nuclear energy to security concerns in the Indo pacific seas apart from collaboration in economic partnerships and infrastructure.
Shinzo Abe was also the chief guest at the Republic Day parade in 2014 during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
PM Modi flew Abe to Varanasi Modi's Lok Sabha constituency, to see the 'Ganga Arti' in 2015.
PM Modi and Shinzo Abe shared very close ties and the latter had gone on record to call PM Modi his most dependable friend.
Remembering his close association with Abe, PM Modi said, his association with Abe goes back many years as he had got to know Shinzo Abe during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister.
Shinzo Abe, when he was the Prime Minister of Japan, visited Ahmedabad to lay the foundation of country's first bullet train.
As Japan's longest-serving prime minister, Abe had shared a special bond with India. He was given India's second-highest civilian award 'Padma Vibhushan' in 2021.
Shinzo Abe had also hosted PM Modi at his private holiday home when Modi visited Japan for the India-Japan annual summit.
The close ties between PM Modi and Shinzo Abe helped bolster Indo-Japan ties to a special strategic and global partnership.