Shinzo Abe's state funeral: Japan asks why state event is costing more than the Queen's
Abe is only the second prime minister in Japanese history to have a state funeral after his life was cut short at the age of 67
Shinzo Abe's funeral is expected to take place next week, despite widespread criticism from Japanese citizens who are questioning the event's enormous cost. Shinzo Abe was assassinated this July.
The Japanese government will shell out around 1.66 billion yen on the event, which is reportedly more than the cost of Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral, media reports said.
Many in Japan have pointed out that the Queen's state funeral in London drew the majority of the world's current leaders, whereas those attending Abe's are primarily former leaders.
The television coverage of the Queen's funeral also demonstrated to Japanese viewers Britain's passion for its former monarch, emphasizing how different the sentiment is in Japan.
Abe is only the second prime minister in Japanese history to have a state funeral after his life was cut short at the age of 67 in a shockingly violent and rare tragedy.
The last state funeral took place 55 years ago for Shigeru Yoshida who served as the country's leader shortly after the end of WW2, and is widely credited for setting the trajectory for post-war Japan.
In response to Abe's funeral cost, some local media outlets mentioned Yoshida's funeral cost of 18 million yen in 1967 - the equivalent of 70 million yen today.
People have also expressed concern as Japan spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, which was almost double the budget estimated for the event.
The contract to organise Abe's funeral was given to Tokyo-based event organiser Murayama.
As per report by The Guardian, the Japanese government estimated the cost of the state funeral at 250 million yen. According to the chief cabinet secretary, Hirokazu Matsuno, the event's policing is likely to cost 800 million yen, while receiving guests is expected to cost 600 million yen.
Earlier this week, a man set himself on fire near the office of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, protesting plans for Shinzo Abe's public funeral.
As Japan faces inflation for the first time in decades, some argue that the funds would be better spent on assisting low-income households who are suffering the most.
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