The following is from Akio Yaita's regular column, China Spotlight, in today's Sankei Shimbun.
A must-read not only for Japanese citizens but for people around the world.
The emphasis in the text other than the headline and the *~* annotations are mine.
Abe's Memorial Concert Attracts Attendees
On the evening of August 20, a grand memorial concert for a true friend of Taiwan, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, was held at the International Convention Center Hall in the center of Taipei City.
Many people from Taiwan's political and business world attended the concert, including Vice President Lai Ching-te, President of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association Su Jia-chyuan, Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te(equivalent to the Minister of Education), and Chairman Lin Hung-lien of Lianbang Bank, and the approximately 3,100 seats in the hall were almost filled with people of all ages.
At the beginning of the concert, Vice President Lai reported his feelings when he attended the funeral service held at Zojoji Temple in Tokyo on July 12 and said his final farewell to Abe.
Looking back on Mr. Abe's contributions to Japan-Taiwan relations, including the provision of vaccines for the new coronavirus to Taiwan and support for Taiwanese pineapple when China embargoed it, he said, "Our gratitude to Mr. Abe will not change with his death. We want to carry on Mr. Abe's beliefs and ideals to develop Taiwan-Taiwan relations further," Lai said, to thunderous applause from the audience.
The audience then enjoyed popular Japanese songs, including "Nada Sou Sou," sung by renowned singer Sung Shin-mei, and "A Thousand Winds," sung by Liu Li-ren, a doctor and singer.
The children from a Japanese kindergarten in Taipei sang Taiwanese children's songs, and a new Taiwanese song, "Street Lights," was sung by Zhu Jung-Shin, a rock singer trendy among the youth, to Mr. Abe was very moving.
The most popular song was "Cheering Song for Prime Minister Abe" by Keiji Oyama, a blind singer, and songwriter from Japan.
Oyama, a native of Kumamoto, arrived in Taipei about ten days before the concert.
His friend, who was supposed to accompany him, could not come due to Corona. Instead, he spent about three days in isolation at a hotel in Taipei, unable to communicate with anyone.
The staff was so kind that I could communicate with them," said Oyama.
I had no anxiety," said Oyama.
When Mr. Abe was prime minister several years ago, he composed the "Cheering Song for Prime Minister Abe."
Later, when the visually impaired were suddenly out of work and in trouble due to the spread of the corona outbreak, a large order from the government to manufacture masks came in, and many people were saved.
People around him were grateful to Abe, but he was frustrated to learn that the media had ridiculed and criticized him, calling it an "Abeno mask."
*The truth about why and how ordered the *Abeno mask is being revealed for the first time.
Those who read this section will be painfully aware of the despicable and viciousness of the Asahi Shimbun and its followers who, at that time, unbelievably slandered the Abeno mask, etc., and will feel unforgivable anger toward them.
The Asahi Shimbun and its followers have proven that they are no different from a people of "abysmal evil" and "plausible lies."
As serious readers know, I urged Prime Minister Abe to supply masks, but I had no way of knowing he had ordered them in this way.
As I read and wrote this, I could not help but feel my eyes burning.
Shinzo Abe was a rare, genuine statesman and a supreme national treasure. *
Mr. Oyama also sang a song, "Hana ha Saku" (The Flowers Are Blooming), which Mr. Abe had played on the piano before his death to support the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Former Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, Minister of Economic and Security Affairs Sanae Takaichi, and House of Councilors member Haruko Arimura contributed video messages to the concert.
The three expressed their gratitude to the people of Taiwan for holding the memorial concert and their desire to carry on the Abe line of promoting Japan-Taiwan relations.
The finale of the concert was a chorus of "Firefly Light."
The audience stood in unison, many with tears in their eyes as they sang.
In response to Abe's passing, the Taiwanese think tank "Taiwan Foundation for Democracy" conducted a telephone survey of 1,000 Taipei citizens and others and found that "over 70% of Taiwanese were saddened" by the news.
The concert was held under the joint sponsorship of more than 10 Taiwanese companies, Japan-Taiwan friendship groups, and other organizations.
It is said that many volunteers worked tirelessly for just over three weeks from the decision to hold the event to the actual event.
Musician Chiu Kui, who served as general director of the concert, said, "I want the Japanese people to know how grateful the Taiwanese people are to Mr. Abe.
(Taipei Bureau Chief)
