Ferro Rodrigues represents Portugal at the state funeral of a murdered ex-PM of Japan
Former President of Parliament, already withdrawn from active politics, will be the official representative of Portugal at the ceremony that will honor Shinzo Abe, who was shot dead in July. Most European countries send government officials our political representatives
Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, former president of the Assembly of the Republic, will be the official representative of Portugal at the state funeral of Shinzo Abe, former prime minister of Japan who was shot dead on July 8. The Portuguese envoy differs from the choice made by most European Union countries, which chose to be represented by active political representatives – most of them members of the government.
This is not the case with Portugal, which sends the former number two of the state hierarchy, who ceased to have political functions in March, when he was replaced by Augusto Santos Silva as the president of the Assembly of the Republic.
To the first of Portugal, prime ministers of the first line, the prime ministers of EU countries, the prime ministers of Foreign Affairs, ministers of Foreign Affairs.
Spain will be represented by the president of the Senate, Ander Gil, and others envy the leaders of the four parliaments, the Senate or the Chamber of Deputies. Luxembourg and Romania hand over, while the prime ministers hand over the deputy prime minister. Three states by EU members elected heads of diplomacy, and another four sent from other masses.
According to CNN Portugal, only two political EU countries, such as Portugal, send figures withdrawn from active life: France and Germany. But in both cases, the representative will be a former head of state: Nicolas Sarkozy, for France, and Christian Wulff, for Germany.
Nearly 500 years of bilateral history
The option of Portugal being an official representative who is retired for political functions contrasts with the long history of any bilateral relations between Portugal and Japan, older and richer than that of any other European country. Portugal was the first western country to arrive in Japan. In 1543, three Portuguese sailors landed on the island of Tanegashima, starting the first Europeans on foot in Japan. Over the next century, the two countries maintained intense trade relations.
The Portuguese presence in Japan ended up being decisive in the historical evolution of the country, due to the introduction of European firearms, brought by the navigators. In addition, as a result of trade relations between the two countries, Japan opened a port for the first time to foreign ships – the opening of the Port of Nagasaki to Portuguese ships, in 1571, was a milestone in the history of Japan. Last year, the Japanese city celebrated the 450 years of that moment. The video Coro de Nagasaki interpreting A Portuguesa, as part of these celebrations, went viral on social media. Bilateral diplomatic relations were formally established in 1860.
In addition to its long history, Japan is the third largest economy in the world, with which Portugal hopes to strengthen economic and trade relations. Even recently, investors turned to future projects in Porto Sines.
US and Australia by weight
The United States and Australia, Japan’s two closest allies, have already announced that they are sending high-profile delegations. The White House will arrive in Tokyo by Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Barack Obama has also announced that he will be at the ceremony. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese heads his country’s representation, which includes three former heads of government.
Canada, another close ally of Japan, sends Prime Minister Justin Trunfoau, and India is also expected to be the head of government, Na India Modi. South Korea announced that relations with Japan were the lowest and marked will be the same as they will be for the prime minister.
A controversial ceremony
The Prime Minister Shinzo was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, over nearly a decade, and is considered a figure in the country’s contemporary history. His July 8 assassination, hit by bullets from a homemade firearm while speaking at an election campaign rally, chocolate Japan and the world. Abe’s links to a South Korean sect, the Unification Church, known in Portugal as Seita O, which wants to draw attention to Japanese power links (in particular Abe’s, which wants to draw attention to Japanese power links Japanese) to this church of power, which wants to draw attention to large interest groups are encouraged to a political party. As it turned out, the mother of the attractions will have her family ruined with the donations she made to that sect. From the related members, including related Church members of the PLD, including government members.
The Japanese Japanese’s decision to hold a state funeral for the prime minister – something that hasn’t happened in decades – has become hotly contested and has a greater popularity of Fumio Kishida, the current government (from the same party as Abe) . In addition to the scandal of relations between Abe, the party, and the South Korean sect, there is the question of the cost of the ceremony. The initial estimate was 1.5 million euros, but that figure rose to 12 million euros, an amount considered critical by critics of the ceremony, given the difficulties that many Japanese faced with inflation, the valuation of the yen and the to the slowdown in the economy.
The ceremony is scheduled for September 27, and more than six thousand foreigners are expected, representing more than 70 countries.