KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Senate, on Friday (July 8), paid tribute to the late former Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, during its sitting at Gordon House.

Abe, who was Japan’s longest serving Prime Minister, was shot while giving a speech at a political event in the Japanese City of Nara and later succumbed to his wounds in hospital.

He was 67 years of age.

Government and Opposition members paid their respects at the invitation of Senate President, Tom Tavares-Finson.

Tavares-Finson described the late former Prime Minister as a “friend to Jamaica” who left an indelible mark on Japan/Jamaica relations.

“[He] is someone, I think, who has touched the lives of many of us in this Senate in one way or the other. The Government of Jamaica will convey [its] sadness to the Government and People of Japan,” he said.

According to a release, Senator Tavares-Finson has instructed the Clerk to the Houses of Parliament to prepare the necessary notation to be sent to the Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica.

Leader of Government Business in the Senate and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kamina Johnson Smith, who expressed condolences to the people of Japan, said under Abe’s leadership, Jamaica, as well as other small island states, received considerable support in their sustainable development goals.

“Japan has been a true friend to Jamaica and, indeed, Prime Minister Abe was. Japan is one of our largest bilateral grant-funding donors. It is a matter of significant appreciation and demonstration of friendship that goes beyond sports and music into these substantive economic areas of support,” she said.

“Jamaica has lost a friend, although Jamaica and Japan will continue to have strong enduring relations. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will rest strong in our memories. We convey our sincere sympathies to his wife, to their family, and indeed, to the Government and people of Japan as they mourn,” Senator Johnson Smith added.

Opposition Senator, Dr Floyd Morris, who noted that Japan is one of Jamaica’s longest serving international partners, expressed regret at the loss of the former leader.

“We have established diplomatic relations with Japan from 1964 and they have been extremely good friends of Jamaica… . His work and the work of his country has impacted Jamaica, and we on this side of the Opposition want to extend our profound regret and sadness at his passing,” Morris said.

Abe held office from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020. He was the longest serving leader in the history of Japan. He was a well-known political figure on the world stage, who made an official visit to Jamaica in September 2015 as a special guest of the Government of Jamaica.