Japanese, Australian Leaders Offer Flowers at Memorial to Abe

Canberra, May 4 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, offered flowers at a memorial monument to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a park in Canberra on Monday.

After the event, Takaichi told reporters that she is determined to advance efforts to evolve the free and open Indo-Pacific initiative launched by Abe to make the entire region strong and prosperous.

Canberra has exchanges with sister city Nara, where Abe was fatally shot while giving a street speech in 2022. The monument was built in Canberra Nara Peace Park in the Australian capital.

Takaichi laid a wreath of white chrysanthemums and red roses and placed her hands together to pay her respects at the monument, which honors Abe's achievements, calling him a "good friend of Australia."

Albanese offered a yellow wreath and observed a moment of silence.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]