Vice President Kamala Harris is leading a delegation from the United States to the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Her plane will stop in Anchorage for fuel on Sunday. A temporary flight restriction has been declared for the area around Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson for a couple of hours, which will impact private and commercial flights in the area.
Harris will also visit South Korea during the trip, planned for Sept. 25-29; this is her first official visit to either Japan and South Korea.
Abe, who stepped down in 2020, was assassinated on July 8 by a gunman who shot the former prime minister while he was giving a campaign speech near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, Japan.
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Suzanne Downing founded Must Read Alaska and served as its editor for many years. Her prolific writing spans nearly every topic meaningful to Alaskans. Before founding Must Read Alaska, she served as editor of the Juneau Empire and as a speechwriter for Governor Sean Parnell.
