Emergency services were called to the incident near the Prime Minister’s office in Tokyo
(Picture: AP)A man has set himself on fire near the Japanese prime minister’s office in apparent protest against the state funeral for former leader Shinzo Abe.
The man, believed to be in his 70s, sustained burns on large parts of his body in Tokyo on Wednesday.
He told police that he set himself on fire after pouring oil over himself, Kyodo News agency reported.
A note apparently written by the man was found with him that said, “Personally, I am absolutely against” Mr Abe’s funeral, Kyodo reported.
The state funeral for the former Prime Minister will be held on September 27.
A Tokyo Fire Department official confirmed a man set himself afire on the street in Tokyo’s Kasumigaseki government district and that he was alive when he was taken to a hospital by ambulance.
The reported protest is one of many planned in the lead up to the funeral for Abe, who was one of the most divisive leaders in postwar Japanese politics. More protests are expected in coming days, including the day of the funeral.
Japanese police have stepped up security for the funeral, which is expected to be attended by about 6,000 people including other world leaders.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is in New York for the annual UN General Assembly meeting of world leaders, including Prime Minister Liz Truss.
He gave a speech on Tuesday expressing disappointment over the Security Council’s failure to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine because of Russia’s permanent veto and called for reforms that would allow the UN to better defend global peace and order.
The planned state funeral for Mr Abe has become increasingly unpopular among Japanese as more details emerge about the ruling party’s and his links to the Unification Church, which built close ties with Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers over their shared interests in conservative causes.
The suspect in Mr Abe’s assassination reportedly believed his mother’s donations to the church ruined his family.
The LDP has said nearly half its lawmakers have ties to the church, but party officials have denied ties between the party as an organisation and the church.
Mr Kishida has said Mr Abe deserves the honor of a state funeral as Japan’s longest-serving post-World War II leader and for his diplomatic and economic achievements.
Critics have said it was decided undemocratically and is an inappropriate and costly use of taxpayers’ money. They say Kishida in deciding to hold a state funeral aimed to please Mr Abe’s party faction.
Support ratings for Kishida’s government have weakened amid public dissatisfaction over his handling of the party’s church ties and the funeral plans.
