Japan to hold state funeral for ex-PM Shinzo Abe on September 27

Japan plans a state funeral on September 27 for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was shot to death at a campaign rally this month, a government official and leading ruling party source said on Wednesday.

An official decision will be made at a cabinet meeting on Friday, they added.

The site will be the Nippon Budokan, an arena originally built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games that has since been a popular venue for sports events and concerts, as well as the site for a memorial service for World War Two dead held every year on August 15.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said last week that Abe, 67, would be given a state funeral in recognition of being Japan's longest-serving prime minister as well as his contributions to Japan and the world.

The last such state funeral for a former prime minister, in which the government bears full costs for the ceremony, was held in 1967 for ex-premier Shigeru Yoshida. Costs for more recent funerals were borne half by the state and half by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

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Those aged 18-39 were most in favour, at 61%, while those in their 60s were most against at 51%.