Former Taiwan premier in delegation for Shinzo Abe state funeral in Tokyo

Taiwan will send a three-person delegation to attend the state funeral of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe this month, including a former parliament speaker and a former premier, the island’s presidential office said on Thursday.Vice-President William Lai attended Abe’s private funeral less than a week later in a personal capacity as a friend, although the trip still drew a diplomatic complaint from Beijing, which views the island as its own territory.

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State funeral for former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe faces growing public backlash

State funeral for former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe faces growing public backlash

Taiwan’s presidential office said the delegation would consist of former parliament speaker Wang Jin-pyng, former premier Frank Hsieh who is now the de facto ambassador to Japan and Su Jia-chyuan, who heads a body in charge of relations with Tokyo in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.

The three had a “deep friendship and close interaction” with Abe for many years, and their attendance fully demonstrated the firm friendship between Taiwan and Japan, office spokesman Xavier Chang said in a statement.

The state funeral will take place on September 27.

Abe was a popular figure in Taiwan for his support of the island, although Japan, like most countries, has formal diplomatic relations with Beijing, not Taipei.

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