TOKYO -- The state funeral for Japan's assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe began on Tuesday at the Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo, as dignitaries from across Asia and the world gathered to bid farewell.

Under sunny skies, long lines formed at a site reserved for the public to offer floral tributes to a leader many remember for bringing the Olympics back to Tokyo and promoting a "free and open" Indo-Pacific region. Meanwhile, security was tight around the funeral venue, given the high-profile guest list as well as the controversy that has surrounded the event, with polls showing it is deeply unpopular.