He was the most consequential politician of his generation, a polarizing figure who nonetheless became Japan’s longest-serving prime minister. You’d think the assassination of Shinzo Abe in July last year would have been an epochal moment. Instead, it seemed to fade away almost as soon as it had happened.
When a state funeral was eventually held in September, despite widespread public opposition, Abe’s demise had been overshadowed by the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Given the accusations of memory-holing that had dogged his administration, it was perhaps fitting — but the muted response also reflected the anemic state of political discourse in Japan.
This is a running theme throughout Arata Oshima’s “The Day of the State Funeral,” a vivid snapshot of the events of Sept. 27, 2022. While the director’s earlier “Why You Can’t Be Prime Minister” (2020) spanned a 17-year period, here he uses a single day as a window into the state of the nation. Chronicling the occasion in the manner of a TV news station, the film dispatches cameramen to locations throughout the country, where they interview members of the public and try to capture the ambient vibe.