The man, believed to be in his 70s, suffered burns to large parts of his body but was conscious and told police he set himself on fire after pouring oil on himself, Kyodo news agency reported. The man was taken to a hospital. A note apparently written by the man was found with him saying, “Personally, I am absolutely opposed” to Abe’s funeral, Kyodo said. A Tokyo Fire Department official confirmed that a man set himself on fire in the street in Tokyo’s Kasumigaseki Ward, but declined to provide further details, including the man’s identity, motive or condition, citing the sensitivity of the police matter. Tokyo police declined to comment, including reporting that one officer was caught in the crossfire. In this still from a video, Abe gives a campaign speech in Nara, western Japan, shortly before he was shot on July 8. He died from his injuries. (Kyodo News/The Associated Press) Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting of world leaders. He gave a speech on Tuesday expressing frustration at the Security Council’s failure to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine because of Russia’s permanent veto and calling for reforms that would allow the UN to better defend global peace and order. Abe’s planned state funeral is becoming increasingly unpopular with Japanese as more details emerge about the ruling party’s and Abe’s ties to the Unification Church, which has built close ties with Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers over their shared interests in conservative aims. The suspect in Abe’s murder reportedly believed his mother’s donations to the church ruined his family. The LDP has said nearly half of its lawmakers have ties to the church. A state funeral is a rare event in Japan, but Kishida said Abe deserved the honor as Japan’s longest-serving leader since World War II and for his diplomatic and economic achievements. Critics said it was decided undemocratically and was an inappropriate and costly use of taxpayers’ money. They say Kishida aimed to please Abe’s party faction and shore up his own power. The man who set himself on fire survived and was taken to hospital for treatment. He suffered burns on large parts of his body. (Kyodo News/The Associated Press)
