A man has set himself on fire to protest the state funeral for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The individual self-immolated near the office of the current premier on Tuesday (September 20), reports TV Asahi.
Injuries sustained from the fire left the man unconscious, while a police officer who attempted to extinguish the fire was also hurt. Both were later transferred to a hospital.
Abe was assassinated on July 8 after being shot twice in the chest from behind by a gunman in a horrifying attack.
His state funeral is set for September 27, with around 6,000 people from Japan and across the world expected to attend.
The suspected killer, 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, is reported to have told police that he attacked Abe over his support for this the controversial Unification Church (or 'Moonies'), which he claimed had bankrupted his mother.
According to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, Yamagami told officers: "My family joined that religion and our life became harder after donating money to the organisation.
“I had wanted to target the top official of the organisation, but it was difficult. So, I took aim at Abe since I believed that he was tied (to the organisation). I wanted to kill him.”
Yamagami was unemployed at the time of the attack, although he previously worked as a forklift driver at a warehouse in Kyoto prefecture.
While the killing of Shinzo Abe met with an outpouring of grief across Japan, public opposition to the event has been growing after links were reported between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the church.
The outcry has also hit the current serving government, with the cabinet's approval rating declining from 60% earlier this year to 30% in a most recent poll.
A number of protests have been planned in the run-up to the funeral, including some on the day.
