‘My friend’: Dalai Lama's tribute to Shinzo Abe after ex-Japan PM assassinated

The Dalai Lama said he was "deeply saddened" to hear that his friend Abe's death and appreciated his support of the efforts to preserve Buddhist cultural heritage and identity.

Published on: Jul 8, 2022, 17:31:31 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Aniruddha Dhar, New Delhi

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Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's shocking assassination on Friday stunned world leaders and drew condemnation, with Iran calling it an “act of terrorism" while Spain slammed the “cowardly attack."

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. (PTI file)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Saturday as a one-day national mourning as a mark of the deepest respect for Abe.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said he was "deeply saddened" to hear that his friend Abe's death and appreciated his support of the efforts to preserve Buddhist cultural heritage and identity.

"I am deeply saddened to hear that my friend, Abe Shinzo (former Japanese PM) has passed away following a gunshot attack this morning. I pray for him and offer my condolences to you and members of your family," news agency ANI quoted the Dalai Lama as saying.

"I very much appreciated his friendship and support of our efforts to preserve our rich Buddhist cultural heritage and identity," the Dalai Lama said, noting, "Abe truly lived a meaningful life in the service of others."

Click here for live updates on Shinzo Abe's assassination

Abe, 67, was shot from behind in Nara in western Japan while giving a campaign speech. He was airlifted to a hospital but was not breathing and his heart had stopped. He was pronounced dead later at the hospital. Abe was Japan's longest-serving leader before stepping down in 2020 for health reasons.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who hastily returned to Tokyo from campaign events around the country, called the shooting “dastardly and barbaric.”

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