Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed leads UAE delegation at funeral of Shinzo Abe

UAE delegation pays respects to former Japan prime minister, who was fatally shot while delivering a speech in July

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, has led the UAE delegation attending the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. All photos: Abu Dhabi Government Media Office

Sheikh Khaled at the funeral.

He was accompanied by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE special envoy to Japan, and Shehab Al Fahim, UAE ambassador to Japan.

Sheikh Khaled was also joined by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.

The UAE delegation among mourners at the state funeral in Tokyo.

The UAE has been one of Japan's main suppliers of oil for the past half a century, today providing 20 per cent of its oil needs.

A UAE delegation led by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, member of Abu Dhabi Executive Council and chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Office, attended the state funeral of assassinated former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Sheikh Khaled was joined by political leaders and heads of state from around the world, including US Vice President Kamala Harris, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad, at the service.

He offered condolences on behalf of President Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.

Sheikh Khaled met Akie Abe, the widow of the late leader, and family members to extend his sympathies.

Abe was delivering a speech near a train station in the western city of Nara when he was fatally shot on July 8. It was the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese prime minister since the 1930s. He was 67.

Hours before the ceremony began, dozens of people carrying bouquets queued at public flower-laying stands at nearby Kudanzaka park.

Abe played a key role in bolstering ties between the UAE and Japan during his tenure, Abu Dhabi Media Office said.

“This included the signing of a large-scale strategic partnership agreement during his visit to the UAE in 2018 to further strengthen co-operation between the two countries and advance strategic partnerships across various fields,” a media office statement said.

Sheikh Khaled was accompanied by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Shehab Ahmed Al Fahim, UAE ambassador to Japan, as well as a number of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Shinzo Abe state funeral — in pictures