Anthony Albanese, the prime minister, claims that he is still in disbelief over Shinzo Abe’s murder.
Mr. Albanese said on Saturday that the former Japanese prime minister’s bond with Australia “was warm in sentiment and profound in consequence.”
No one was more dedicated to improving ties between our two countries.
Mr. Abe, 67, was fatally murdered on Friday while running for office in the Japanese city of Nara. A man was detained on the spot.
Mr. Albanese claimed that Mr. Abe, who made five trips to Australia while serving as prime minister, was crucial in securing a number of historic accords and elevating the two countries’ ties to a unique strategic alliance.
He also pointed out that Mr. Abe spoke before both chambers of parliament in Canberra in 2014 and that, four years later, he was the first head of state of Japan to go to Darwin, which the country had attacked earlier in the war.
Mr. Albanese told journalists in Canberra that Mr. Abe was a wonderful politician who had a significant impact.
“His vision of an Indo-Pacific that was free and open” “had a tremendous impact on regional and global security.”
On the day of Mr. Abe’s funeral, official Australian flags will fly at half-mast in accordance with tradition.
On Saturday night, the Adelaide Oval, South Australia’s legislature, and significant Melbourne landmarks will all be illuminated in red and white as a tribute to Mr. Abe.
The Sydney Opera House will take part in a similar spectacle on Sunday.
The Australian Olympic Committee has praised Mr. Abe as a staunch supporter of the international sports community.
The success of the Tokyo Games amid the Covid epidemic, according to AOC President Ian Chesterman, was a testament to his perseverance and leadership.
He expressed his heartfelt sorrow for Mr. Abe’s passing.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were such a success, inspiring so many people all around the world.
As chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Tokyo Games, IOC Vice-President John Coates collaborated closely with the then-prime minister.
“The decision to postpone the Games by one year in the face of the global pandemic would simply not have happened” without Shinzo Abe’s dedication, according to Mr. Coates.
“All of the international athletes that competed in the Tokyo 2020 Games are eternally grateful to him.”
Mr. Abe is a visionary leader in the Indo-Pacific and “a champion of a freer and more open globe,” according to Business Council CEO Jennifer Westacott.