Asian community aghast, distraught over assassination of Ex Japanese PM Shinzo Abe 安倍晋三 as India mourns
Asian think Tank - ACN Editorial Advisory Board which has the representation of business and community leaders, intellectuals, educationists, bureaucrats, and diplomats from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and India too has offered its condolences.
NEW DELHI: Never before the people in India have expressed their anguish and pain over the death of a statesman of a foreign country as they have done in the case of the assassination of Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (安倍晋三元首相).
Also never before demise of any foreign leader evoked such a humongous response from the people in India, not only from natives but across multiple nationalities.
Not only social media is abuzz with condolence messages mourning and condemning the cowardly lethal attack on India’s well-wisher and close ally Abe, the brutal incident is a matter of serious discussion amongst the people in every quarter of life and section of society, and across platforms.
Speculations are ripe with people wondering why at all Shinzo Abe was killed when he was campaigning for his party in Nara in Japan on Friday.
Revisiting memories, people are posting Abe’s photos on social media and recalling their connect with Japan and its longest-serving PM who visited India multiple times.
On Saturday, Satoshi SUZUKI (鈴木聡), Ambassador of Japan to India and Bhutan said in a tweet, “Truly grateful for and deeply touched by countless warm messages we received from Indian and Bhutanese friends on the sudden and tragic death of former PM Abe Shinzo. Hope his soul rests in peace. Will carry on his great legacy to further advance our bilateral friendships.”
The same day, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar visited the Embassy of Japan in New Delhi and met the Ambassador Satoshi Suzuki to convey his condolences on the assassination of Shinzo Abe.
Jaishankar is married to a Japanese native Kyoko, and has two sons—Dhruva and Arjun—and a daughter, Medha.
In a series of tweets, Dr Jaishankar said that for more than two decades, Shinzo Abe has symbolized growing relationship between India and Japan. He said Shinzo Abe placed India Japan ties in a larger global context of the free and open Indo-Pacific.
Ambassador Suzuki responded, “Sincerely appreciate @DrSJaishankar for visiting me to express his condolences for former Prime Minister Abe. While mourning together this shocking tragedy, we will continue his legacy to further enhance our bilateral relations.”
Deeply hurt by the sudden death of former Japanese PM, Navin M Raheja, CMD, Raheja Developers Limited and former Chairman of the advisory council of National Real Estate Development Council (Naredco) recalled the warm hospitality of Shinjo Abe he had experienced during his visit to Japan in 2011 when he led a business delegation to three Japanese cities including Tokyo.
“I had the privilege of getting a warm welcome by him as a leader of Indian Business delegation to Japan in 2011 where there were eight former Prime Ministers to share the dais. I am deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Mr. Abe Shinzo. Raheja Developers Limited conveys deepest condolences to the people of Japan and family and friends of Mr. Shinzo Abe. May his soul rest in peace and continue to be an inspiration to Indo-Japanese ties,” said Navim M Raheja who also is the chairman of real estate committee of FICCI and was an eminent executive member of Assocham and CII.
Raheja has also lead Indian Business delegations along with the former President of India, Mrs. Pratibha Patil, and Bharat Ratna and President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee to several international missions.
An Asian think Tank – ACN Editorial Advisory Board that has representation of business and community leaders, intellectuals, educationists, bureaucrats, and diplomats from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and India too has offered its condolences.
Honorary ACN Board Member Tomio Isogai, a freelance advisor, Indo-Japanese relations and director, Kansai Japan India Cultural Society, and Former MD, Sharp India and UAE, said, “I have no words to express on the saddest news from the place in Japan where I belong to. The election candidate of the region who the late PM Abe was trying to support is well known to me personally for decades. He must be the most shocked person standing just behind the ex-PM.”
Isogai said that ex-PM Abe was recently elected as Chairman of Japan India Association (est.1903) succeeding ex-PM Mori.
“It certainly is a huge loss in the personal exchanges in between India and Japan, however, I do believe this will bring about no negative impact on our relations. I sincerely thank PM Modiji and all Indian people for the declaration of a national mourning for the late PM. May his divine soul rest in eternal peace and support us all forever.”
Other ACN Board members representing Japan include Hidehito Jay ARAKI, Management Consultant for Japanese companies in India, Nobuhiro Takahashi, Former Advisor, Japan Chamber of Commerce & Industry India (JCCII), Ms. Tomo Kawane, Sr. Researcher, Keio University, Tokyo, Prakash Yadav, Co-founder, AJU Group of Japanese Hotels, Shiv Kothari, Founder, Chain of Tokyo Stores to represent Indo-Japanese affairs, Kunna Dash, Founder, India-Japan Friendship Center and Chandra Sekhar Academy, and Ms. Ritu Agarwal, Former Country Head – Japan, Russia, and Southeast Asia, NSDC, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, also expressed their pain on the development.
Dr. Vyjayanti Raghavan, former Professor and Chairperson, Centre for Korean Studies, JNU and CAN Board member said, “Can’t imagine how badly affected you must be Mr. Isogai, because of the various close associations. Stay strong, and may you be able to provide strength and solace to your friend for whom PM Abe was campaigning.”
Other Honorary board members who represent South Korea include Euy Don Park, President, Korean Federation in India and VP, Korean Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KOCHAM), Joonhwa Bin, Managing Director, KOTRA South Asia, New Delhi, Prof. Do Young Kim, Honorary Director, Korean Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia University, Sung-chang Hong, Managing Director, NongHyup Bank (NH Bank), Ms. Eun-joo LIM, Founder & Director, Indo-Korean Center, Pune, Suresh Chukkapalli, Honorary Consul General of Korea, Telangana, and Arshi Krishnachar, India Head, Seoul Semiconductor & Chairman, ISLE, Karnataka to represent Indo-South Korean affairs, also paid their condolences over the death of Shinzo Abe.
In her message, Ms. Jennifer Makhecha (Tseng, Hsiao-Li) Chairperson, Taiwan Chamber of Commerce Mumbai (TCCM), and ACN Advisory Board Member, said, “Shinzo Abe enjoyed very high respect and reputation in Taiwan. It is a huge loss to Taiwan too since Ex-PM Abe was a big supporter to Taiwan and he has great contributions to Taiwan-Japan relationship.”
Another ACN Baord member to represent Taiwan Peters Li-ying Chen, Assistant Representative, and Director (Education), Ministry of Education of Taiwan, ROC, and Asst Representative, Taiwan’s Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC), also endorsed Ms. Makhecha’s concern.
Jugesh C Pegu, (IRS), Former Chief Commissioner, Income Tax, New Delhi, said, “The world has lost a great statesman, and a true friend of India. The horrified incident in Japan has left us flabbergasted. We unequivocally condemn such a dastardly act. Let’s pray for peace. Our sincere condolences to the bereaved family and people of Japan.”
Other honorary board members Sanjeev K Ahuja, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Asian Community News (ACN) Network, Pawan Choudhary, Advisor, Chief Minister, Haryana, (Foreign Cooperation Department), Rohit Kochhar, Founding Member & Managing Partner, Kochhar & Co., and Mohit Malik, Senior Taxation Expert, and Promoter, GST Academy also paid their heart-fealt condolences for the departed soul.
Related article: Former Japanese PM Abe Shinzo shot dead in Nara, man in his 40s arrested
