The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth of England, who died on the 8th, will be held on the 19th, and former Prime Minister Abe on the 27th.  While Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral is held in grief for most of the people, former Prime Minister Abe’s state funeral has been criticized more and more with each passing day.  Although one is the king and the other is the head of the government, and although the circumstances of their deaths are different, there are many points that make us think about the differences in the state funerals that are strangely held at the same time.  Former Prime Minister Abe’s state funeral is held extremely emotionally based on the Cabinet Office Establishment Law and cabinet decision within the scope of administrative power, while Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral is legally held through a resolution of the Diet and is done through proper procedures.  It includes issues related to the foundation of democracy, and also expresses the difference in maturity.  Prior to that, it is hard to believe that former Prime Minister Abe was a prime minister who was worthy of being held at a state funeral that successive prime ministers had not been held.

8日に死去した英国のエリザベス女王の国葬が19日に、27日には安倍元首相の国葬が執り行われます。エリザベス女王の国葬が国民の大半が悲しみの中で執り行われるのに対して、安倍元首相の国葬は日を追う毎に批判の声が広がっています。片方が国王であり、一方は行政府の長であることや、死亡の経緯が異なるとはいえ、奇しくも同時期に執り行われる国葬の違いは、考えさせられる点が多くあります。安倍元首相の国葬が、行政権の範囲内で内閣府設置法と閣議決定を根拠に、極めて情緒的に行われるのに対して、エリザベス女王の国葬は国会の議決を経て、法的にもきちんとした手続きを経て行われます。民主主義の根幹にも関わる問題を含んでいるとともに、その成熟度の違いをも表しています。それ以前に、安倍元首相が歴代の首相でも行われなかった国葬で執り行なわれるにふさわしい首相であったとはとても思えません。