KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today signed a condolence book as a mark of respect for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in Japan on Friday.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Ismail Sabri was accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah to the official residence of Japan’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Katsuhiko Takahashi, at 3.52pm to sign the book.

The prime minister expressed confidence that diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Japan would continue to strengthen, especially in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of Malaysia’s Look East Policy.

Abe, 67, died after he was shot while giving a speech at a political campaign in the city of Nara.

Abe was Japan’s longest serving prime minister, as he first held office in 2006 and then again from 2012 to 2020. — Bernama