As it happened: Japan honours murdered ex-PM Shinzo Abe

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Let's sum up what has been a historic day in Japan - a state funeral for the country's longest-serving prime minister that was not without controversy.

• Despite protesters opposed to the cost of the publicly-funded service gathering in Tokyo, inside the Budokan arena the event went smoothly
• More than 4,000 people - including about 50 current and former world leaders - attended the sombre ceremony
• It featured a large portrait of Abe hung over a bank of flowers, some of which were arranged in the design of the Japanese flag
• His widow Akie Abe brought in his ashes and they were placed in the centre of this shrine
• A military salute was followed by a moment of silence and then a video retrospective of Mr Abe's political life
• Several political figures gave eulogies including current PM Kishida and the former PM Suga. Their speeches emphasised Abe's global legacy
• Earlier, more than 10,000 mourners queued around the venue to lay flowers at public sites. Many waited queues for up to three hours

The ceremony is now winding down with the last rows of guests approaching the altar to bow and pay their last respects.

Mr Abe's immediate family, including his wife Akie, remain seated in the front row.

Here are some moments from earlier on:

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As Japan's leader from 2012 to 2020, Abe was a prominent figure on the world stage. The hundreds of foreign dignitaries at his funeral - emphasised in a roll call just now - is testament to his standing.

Many former leaders - Abe's contemporaries during his time in office - have also shown up.

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What does it say about Abe that - even as world leaders have gathered for his funeral - many in his own country are opposed to it? In part it's because of the way he died - he was gunned down at an election rally in July.

And Japan mourned for him. He had never been hugely popular, according to opinion polls, but few would deny that he brought the country stability and security.

So the decision to hold a state funeral for him is also a reflection of his stature.

No-one served longer in the prime minister's office and, arguably, no other post-war politician had such an impact on Japan's position in the world.

Experts say he was ahead of his time.

"He understood the changing balance of power. That a rising China will, of course, distort the balance of power and reshape the order in the region. So, he wanted to take leadership," says Professor Kazuto Suzuki, a political scientist and former Abe advisor.

Read more about Abe’s global and local legacy

Back outside the funeral venue, protesters have been gathered in various parts of Tokyo, hoping to march towards the Budokan.

"I am frustrated and angry that by allowing the government to hold the state funeral, we are letting the government do whatever they want without the consensus of people," said 25-year-old Iori Fujiwara.

"Young people like us need to speak out more for the future of Japan. That's why I am here representing the youth of the country."

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"I just could not stay home knowing they are spending 1.6 bn yen, and inviting guests for the state funeral when there are Japanese people who are suffering from the typhoon last week," said Ayaka Uehira, a 23-year-old protester.

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Following a round of speeches by current and former Japanese politicians, foreign dignitaries are now being invited to lay bunches of white flowers at the altar in an final act of farewell.

Officials carrying trays laden with bunches of these flowers have been handing them out to the invited guests, which include US vice president Kamala Harris, who was seen with other former US ambassadors to Japan as part of the delegation.

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Other notable attendees to the event include former UK prime minister Theresa May, Indian and Australian Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese, and South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

Other foreign representatives are also being invited country by country to lay their flowers at the altar.

Earlier, we saw Abe's widow, Akie Abe, arrive at the ceremony.

This was the moment she walked into the venue, carrying his ashes, covered in a ceremonial cloth.

As noted earlier, current PM Fumio Kishida led the tributes, delivering the first eulogy.

In a near 12-minute speech, Kishida spoke in length about Abe's life in politics, providing a snapshot of his major policies and achievements. He noted Abe's boost to Japan's international profile and its strong economy.

"Abe-san, your life should’ve been much, much longer. You were needed for much, much longer. You’ve worked tirelessly and exhausted all your energy for both Japan and the world," he said.

In what was at times a very personal tribute, Kishida also praised Abe's temparament and generosity towards others. He then wrapped up a written prayer in a white paper envelope and placed that on the altar.

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Outside the Budokan venue, on the streets of Tokyo, both protesters and mourners are continuing to gather.

The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes is at the scene.

Representatives from Japan's Imperial Family are now offering prayers and tributes.

Dressed in mourning black, several members - including Fumihito, Crown Prince of Japan, and Kiko, Crown Princess Akishino - approached the altar where they lay flowers.

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Former PM Suga worked closely with Abe, in his prime ministerial team for more than seven years.

In his speech he praised Abe's achievements as a politician - in relations with North Korea and spearheading a campaign calling for the return of abducted Japanese people.

He also noted Abe's leadership on foreign policy deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership."Thank you so much for all you have done. May you rest in peace."

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Kishida spoke of Abe's significant and incomparable legacy - more to come on that in a bit.

Now we are seeing various politicians, including the leaders of the Upper and Lower Houses in Japan - and other senior party leaders also deliver short addresses.

They bow to Abe's family, seated on the right of the arena, before approaching the altar to pay tribute.

Former PM, Yoshihide Suga, who succeeded Abe in 2020 is now speaking. He says he rushed to Mr Abe's side immediately after the shooting.

"Why did your life have to be taken away in such a tragic way when you were so indispensable to us?"

The current prime minister, Fumio Kishida, is delivering an eulogy to Abe.

He has walked up to the front of the altar and stands in the centre, facing a huge portrait of Shinzo Abe which hangs over the altar. He regularly looks up at the picture of Abe as he speaks.

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Columns of military troops - dressed in white - had earlier filed into the arena, paying salute to the former prime minister. Everyone in the audience stood as the band played another anthem.

Mourners are now watching a video tribute to Abe featuring key moments from his career, and also featured an instrumental track played by the ex-PM.

It focused a whole section on Abe's standing as a world leader - and his concerted foreign policy efforts.

It featured many pictures of Abe with other world leaders, and at global summits and addressing the UN.

Abe was the Japanese PM who revitalised the key Trans-Pacific Partnership after the US withdrew. He was also a key instigator of the "Quad" strategic partnership - an alliance between India, Japan, the US and Australia. Several photos in the tribute referenced this.

As proceedings for the state funeral for former PM Shinzo Abe began, his widow Akie Abe arrived at the Budokan venue carrying his ashes, which were covered in a ceremonial cloth.

The motorcade carrying his remains had travelled from his widow's home in the capital.

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The state funeral has begun. Thousands are seated in the arena. A military band has begun playing a dirge as the senior Japanese dignitaries walked in.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has received the ashes, which appear to be contained in a ceremonial box.

He then formally handed it to military officers who placed the box in the centre of the altar, set up at the front of the room.

If you're just joining us now, it is 13:50 in Tokyo - just minutes away from the start of the state funeral proceedings for former PM Shinzo Abe.

So far, we have seen mourners showing up in droves to pay their last respects to Abe, laying wreathes and bowing their heads in solemnity as they say their prayers at the altar.

We have also seen groups of protesters, waving banners and holding up placards in a show of dissatisfaction against the proceedings, which they say takes precious state resources that could be directed towards more critical economic goals.

The funeral is expected to begin at 14:00, and will see Abe's ashes being carried into the Nippon Budokan as more than 700 foreign guests, state leaders and dignitaries look on.

Up to 1,000 soldiers will perform ceremonial duties, with a military honour guard firing 19 blank rounds from a cannon to salute the former PM.

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Dozens of protesters have gathered in the areas surrounding the Budokan arena to express their dissatisfaction over the state event.

"I’m against Abe’s state funeral," one of them told the BBC, pointing to the fact that state funerals are usually reserved for Japan's Imperial family.

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He said the grounds for holding a state funeral should be "based on his contribution and policies", not "just the length of his time as the prime minister".

"And the fact that he was assassinated - that also shouldn’t be a reason to hold a state funeral because that means that a terror attack managed to change history," he added.

The cost of the funeral is estimated to reach 1.67 million yen (£10.96m, $11.4m), which protesters say could be directed towards more pressing economic issues.

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