New Delhi, Oct 8 (IANS) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with Akie Abe, wife of late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in New Delhi on Thursday and expressed appreciation for her continued association with India.
PM Modi described Shinzo Abe as a “dear friend” and a “visionary leader” who played a defining role in elevating bilateral ties to new heights. He welcomed the inauguration of the Abe Memorial Corridor at the Rudraksh Convention Centre in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, calling it as a “fitting tribute” to Shinzo Abe’s lasting contribution to ties between India and Japan.
“Pleased to meet Mrs. Akie Abe, wife of late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Deeply value her enduring association with India. Abe San was a dear friend and a visionary leader who played a defining role in elevating India-Japan relations to new heights,” PM Modi posted on X.
“The inauguration of the Abe Memorial Corridor at the Rudraksh Convention Centre in Varanasi yesterday is a fitting tribute to his lasting contribution to India-Japan friendship,” he added.
The ‘Abe Memorial Corridor’, a memorial site for India-Japan friendship and cultural ties, was inaugurated in Varanasi on Wednesday in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Akie Abe.
Yogi Adityanath described the Abe Memorial Corridor as a “living symbol” of Shinzo Abe’s contributions to strengthening the historical, cultural, and diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
“Today, in the dignified presence of Mrs. Akie Abe, the wife of the late former Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Shinzo Abe, the ‘Abe Memorial Corridor’ — a vibrant memorial site for India-Japan friendship and cultural ties — was inaugurated in Varanasi,” Yogi Adityanath posted on X.
“This Memorial Corridor is a living symbol of Mr. Shinzo Abe’s contributions to strengthening the historical, cultural, and diplomatic relations between India and Japan. On behalf of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and 140 crore Indians, humble tributes to him,” he added.
Former Japanese PM Abe had made immense contributions to elevate India-Japan relations to the level of a Special Strategic and Global Partnership. His association with PM Modi went back many years, having known the Indian PM since his long stint as Gujarat Chief Minister.
India had announced a one-day national mourning as a mark of respect for PM Abe, who was shot dead while making a campaign speech in Japan’s Nara on July 8, 2022.
Following Abe’s death, PM Modi, in an emotional message, expressed grief and shock at the “tragic demise of one of his dearest friends”, and also attended the state funeral of the late leader. He called Abe a “towering global statesman, an outstanding leader, and a remarkable administrator” who dedicated his life to making Japan and the world a better place.
