The budget approved by the cabinet for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s state funeral on September 27 is a modest ¥249 million, in deference to popular criticism of the event. The price tag, says Research Director Sota Kato in the Straits Times, though, does not include security for some 6,000 guests expected to attend, including world leaders.

In addition to questions about its constitutionality, the funeral is controversial for having been scheduled more than two months after Abe’s death, Kato said. The only other postwar state funeral was for Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida, held just 11 days after his passing.

Public grief has not only subsided, he noted, but has turned into anger after “too many political elements have become involved,” pointing to alleged deep links between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Unification Church.

“Japan approves $2.5 million budget for controversial Shinzo Abe state funeral,” Straits Times
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japan-to-spend-25m-on-slain-ex-pm-abes-state-funeral

Profile of Research Director Sota Kato
https://www.tkfd.or.jp/experts/detail.php?id=29