VP Duterte to attend Shinzo Abe’s state funeral next week

Vice President Sara Duterte said Wednesday she will go to Japan next week to attend the state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

This was announced by Duterte after Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa and three other more foreign envoys paid a courtesy call at the Office of the Vice President in Mandaluyong City this morning.

The Vice President said Koshikawa thanked her for her intent to go to Japan to attend the funeral. Abe was assassinated during a campaign event on July 8.

Duterte said she will bring with her two condolences letters—one from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., and another from her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The funeral for Japan's longest-serving prime minister will be held at Tokyo's Nippon Budokan on September 27.

In addition, Duterte thanked Japan for its salient contributions to the Philippines, including being a top contributor to the previous administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

“Lubos akong nagpapasalamat sa Japan bilang ating No. 1 partner in development, investment and trade sa taong 2002-2021, at ang No. 1 contributor natin sa ‘Build, Build, Build’ program ng administrasyong Duterte na nakapag-generate ng mahigit 6.5 milyong trabaho sa mga Pilipino mula 2016 hanggang 2020,” she added.

New Zealand Ambassador Peter Kell, Thailand Ambassador Tull Traisorat, and European Union Ambassador Luc Véron also met with Duterte earlier in the day. — BM, GMA News