Whenever they met, former prime minister Joseph Muscat and assassinated former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe would talk about everything, from fireworks, to the price of Maltese tuna in Japan, to science, pop culture, and ideas on "post-politics life".

A few hours after Abe's murder was confirmed on Friday, Muscat told Times of Malta that the former Japanese premier was one of the first friends he made "on the international stage".

"We met for the first time at the United Nations General Assembly in New York where he impressed me with his offhand knowledge of the market prices of the highly regarded Maltese tuna in Japan," Muscat said.

"From then onwards we kept in regular contact, meeting again internationally numerous times and with reciprocal visits in Malta and Tokyo."

Shinzo Abe was the first Japanese prime minister to visit Malta on an official state visit. PHOTO: DOI - Reuben Piscopo.

Shinzo Abe was the first Japanese prime minister to visit Malta on an official state visit in May 2017 and Malta's ambassador to Japan, Andre Spiteri described him as "a great friend of Malta".

"During his visit to Malta, the National Library set up a temporary exhibition about Japanese sailors who were stationed in Malta during World War I," Muscat recalled.

"We were both amazed to discover that many of them came from his hometown, with Shinzo saying he actually knows a number of the families.

"That further cemented our bond. The opening of the Maltese embassy in Tokyo [in 2020] was only a natural addendum to a genuine friendship."

Muscat said that Abe was one of the first friends he made "on the international stage". They met for the first time at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. PHOTO: Jonathan Borg.

Shinzo Abe, 67, was Japan's longest-serving and best-known politician. Before stepping down due to his health condition in 2020, he had been at the helm of the country for a year between 2006 and 2007 and for another eight years from 2012 to 2020.

On Friday, as he was giving a political speech at an electoral campaign event in Nara, he was shot and died a few hours later in hospital.

This image taken from video provided by witness Toshiharu Otani and released via Jiji Press shows former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe (C) stepping down after giving an election campaign speech at Kintetsu Yamato-Saidaiji station square in Nara, while a man (2nd R-behind) suspected of shooting Abe shortly after stands in the background. Photo: AFP

Doctors said that Abe showed no vital signs when he arrived and died of enormous blood loss, despite massive transfusions.

They described multiple wounds to the politician's neck, with the internal damage reaching as deep as his heart.

Abe's murder shook Japan, with prime minister Fumio Kishida describing the killing as a "barbaric act" that was "unforgivable".

The Maltese Embassy in Japan opened in 2020. PHOTO: Jonathan Borg.

An unemployed, 41-year-old suspect was apprehended immediately and is in custody, and police said he confessed to killing the former premier, motivated by a belief Abe was linked to an unspecified organisation.

The murder sent shockwaves around the world, particularly given the nation's low levels of violent crime and strict gun laws.

Prime Minister Robert Abela condemned the "senseless act of violence" and offered his condolences to Abe's family and the people of Japan. President George Vella said he was deeply shocked, adding that he had fond memories of the state visit five years ago.

Asked for comment, Joseph Muscat reminisced on his conversations with Abe.

"With him, the conversations varied from the millennial Nipponic "Hanabi" (fireworks in Japanese) science and culture, to Japanese pop culture to which we were so exposed in Malta through Italian television, from table tennis (he gifted me with a cutting edge racket which I donated to Special Olympics as Michelle led the bid for the Malta Games), to ideas on post-politics life," he said.

"Michelle and I send our condolences to Akie, the family of Abe San and the people of Japan."

"With him, the conversations varied from fireworks to science and culture, to Japanese pop culture," Muscat recalled. PHOTO: DOI - Reuben Piscopo.

On Saturday, Abe's body was transported to his residence in Tokyo. The funeral service is expected to be held on Tuesday.