International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach was in Japan this week to attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
“Prime Minister Abe loved the Olympic Games and was a strong supporter of the Olympic values and the power of sport to change lives, particularly those of young people.”
Prime Minister Abe was instrumental in Tokyo’s successful bid for the 2020 Olympics, playing a vital role in ensuring that the Games went ahead after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With Abe Shinzo, we agreed on the postponement of the Olympic Games at the height of the global pandemic. Without his support the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 would not have taken place. The athletes, the Olympic Movement and fans around the world owe him a huge debt of gratitude.”
Heads of state and dignitaries from around the world were in attendance. Current Prime Minster of Japan Fumio Kishida praised Abe as an astute politician who was instrumental in leading a post-war Japan towards a “free and open Indo-Pacific”.
“You were a person who should have lived much longer,” Kishida said. “I had a firm belief that you would contribute as a compass showing the future direction of Japan and the rest of the world for 10 or 20 more years.”
Bach was accompanied by Morinari Watanabe, Yuki Ota, and Yasuhiro Yamashita, representative members of the IOC in Japan.
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