THE Japanese government is planning to hold a state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot to death at a campaign rally earlier this month, on Sept 27, NHK public television said on Wednesday.

The site will be the Nippon Budokan, an arena originally built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games that has since been a popular venue for sports events and concerts as well as the site for a memorial service for World War Two dead held every year on Aug 15. REUTERS