Civic Groups Protest Abe State Funeral Outside Diet
Civic groups opposed to holding a state funeral for former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo have demonstrated outside Japan's Diet.
The organizers of the protest said about 4,000 people took part in the event on Wednesday. Uchida Masatoshi, a lawyer and one of the organizers, said mourning should be done privately among families and friends, and should not involve using taxes. He added that there is no legal basis for holding a state funeral.
Japan's Cabinet has approved a plan to hold the government-funded event at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on September 27.
One participant said if a state funeral is to be held, the Diet should hold debates, and that it's unacceptable that a Cabinet decision was made.
The government has explained that the Cabinet Office Establishment Act says the office controls matters regarding state ceremonies.
It says the Cabinet decision is the legal basis for the funeral, and that it will not call on citizens to mourn the former prime minister.