Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad paid a condolence visit to the home of slain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on Friday, as he stopped over in Japan on his way back from South Korea.
Speaking to reporters after the visit, the 97-year-old two-time prime minister of the Southeast Asian country recalled his exchanges with his one-time Japanese counterpart.
Mahathir said he and Abe had known each other for a long time and that the two got along well. The men also discussed political issues that affected both countries, he added.
Mahathir is known for promoting the "Look East" policy, modeled after Japan's economic development and work ethic, while he was prime minister from 1981 to 2003. After returning as prime minister in 2018, he held talks with Abe on multiple occasions.
Abe served as prime minister from 2006 to 2007 and 2012 to 2020, becoming the longest-serving Japanese prime minister. He was fatally shot by a gunman in Nara on July 8 while stumping for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate.