TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In the latest display of shock over the assassination of Japanese ex-Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, Taiwanese have been writing messages of sympathy on a wall set up outside Japan’s office in Taipei, reports said Saturday (July 9).

Abe, 67, died Friday (July 8) after a man shot him in the back while he was addressing a crowd at an election rally in the city of Nara. Shock and revulsion at the murder were particularly strong in Taiwan, for which he had openly and repeatedly expressed support in its fight for international recognition against Chinese bullying.

Members of the public set up a two-meter-high white wall outside the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (JTEA) on Taipei City’s Qingcheng Street where people wrote messages of sympathy in Chinese and Japanese, CNA reported. A printed text at the top read “Mourning Taiwan’s eternal friend, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.” On social media, Taiwanese reportedly voiced calls to hold a memorial meeting in Taiwan to honor Abe.

Earlier, the government said flags at government buildings and state schools would be flown at half-staff Monday (July 11) in a mark of respect for the late Japanese leader.

Management at Taipei 101 said Taiwan’s tallest building would continue to display messages of sympathy and condolences for Abe for four evenings running, until Monday night.