A man mourns at the site where late former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was shot in Nara, Japan, July 8, 2022. (PHOTO/XINHUA)
HONG KONG – Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Saturday expressed his profound sadness at the sudden and unfortunate passing of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.
On behalf of the people and government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, I express our sympathies to Mr Abe's family on the passing of Mr Abe.
John Lee, HKSAR chief executive
“On behalf of the people and government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, I express our sympathies to Mr Abe's family on the passing of Mr Abe,” Lee said in a statement.
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Lee said the HKSAR and Japan maintained closely cooperative relations when Abe was in office as Japan’s prime minister, during which the two places enjoyed close ties and made positive progress in various areas including economic and trade affairs, tourism and cultural exchanges.
“I express our deepest sympathies on the passing of Mr Abe. May he rest in peace," Lee said.
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Abe, the longest-serving leader of modern Japan, was gunned down on Friday while campaigning for a parliamentary election.
The 67-year-old was pronounced dead around five and a half hours after the shooting in the city of Nara.