Shinzo Abe's cameo as Super Mario at the 2016 Olympics resurfaces following his death | indy100

Shinzo Abe dresses as Super Mario to begin countdown to 2020 Toyko ...

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The world has been paying tribute to Shinzo Abe after the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died at the age of 67.

Abe was tragically shot during a speech on Friday in Nara in western Japan, and was declared dead after being airlifted to hospital.

A 41-year-old man identified as Tetsuya Yamagami who is suspected of carrying out the shooting has been arrested by police.

The likes of Boris Johnson, Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky all paid their tributes – and now the internet is finding its own way of fondly remembering Abe.

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Commentators on social media have been sharing a clip from the 2016 Olympics Games which starred Abe in pretty unlikely circumstances.

Getty/2016 Olympics

The video shows Abe starring in a promotion for the Tokyo Olympic games by making a grand entrance at the closing ceremony in Rio.

It begins with the politician in a car, checking his watch and declaring he’s running late and won’t get to Rio in time.

Then, he morphs into Super Mario, one of Japan’s most famous cultural exports, and races his way through the streets of Tokyo.

\u201cRIP Shinzo Abe. I will never forget when you appeared before the world dressed as Mario in order to promote the Tokyo Olympics!\u201d
— Meh (@Meh) 1657270701

\u201cThis is my favorite Shinzo Abe moment, him literally coming to the Rio Olympic closing ceremony and jumping out as Super Mario. Best political cosplay moment ever. I didn\u2019t always like his politics, but he was a political titan.\n\n\u201d
— OK then (@OK then) 1657254097

Then, Mario opens up a warp pipe through the core of the Earth which ends up in Rio. Next thing, Abe steps out dressed in full Super Mario costume and waves to the Brazilian crowd.

One user posted the clip and wrote: “This is my favorite Shinzo Abe moment, him literally coming to the Rio Olympic closing ceremony and jumping out as Super Mario.

“Best political cosplay moment ever. I didn’t always like his politics, but he was a political titan.”

It comes after the tragic news was confirmed on Friday morning. Prime minister Fumio Kishida condemned the shooting as unforgivable, calling it a “dastardly and barbaric” act during a speech to the nation.

He was the longest serving PM in Japan’s history, having held the office from 2006-2007 and then again from 2012 to 2020.

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