Japan city assembly passes written opinion urging cancellation of ex-PM Abe's state funeral

KAMAKURA, Kanagawa -- The Kamakura Municipal Assembly in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, adopted by majority vote a written opinion demanding the cancellation of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's state funeral scheduled for Sept. 27.

The written opinion, which was passed on Sept. 12, will soon be mailed, addressed to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the House of Councillors. According to the secretariats of the upper and lower houses, the Hayama Municipal Assembly, also in Kanagawa Prefecture, has also mailed a written opinion opposing the state funeral.

The Kamakura assembly's document points out, "It runs the risk of forcing the national government's evaluation of Abe upon the Japanese people, and suppressing their freedom to make their own decisions. We must not hold a state funeral that would divide the people."

Voting was held among 17 assembly members, excluding the chair and eight members who excused themselves. Twelve members, including those of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Japanese Communist Party, were in favor of adopting the opinion, while five members of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito were against it.

(Japanese original by Kenetsu Inaba, Kamakura Local Bureau)