Shinzo Abe was a 'special friend to Northern Ireland'

Martin McGuinness, Shinzo Abe and Peter Robinson in Tokyo in December 2013

Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe was a special friend to Northern Ireland, former First Minister Peter Robinson has said.

Abe died from his wounds after he was shot a political campaign event.

Mr Robinson said he was "deeply disturbed" by the assassination on Friday.

He met Japan's then leader, along with former Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, at the G8 summit in County Fermanagh in June 2013.

Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra, Mr Robinson said Abe took an interest in Northern Ireland.

"There were only two of the world leaders that went outside the security bubble - that was of course the US president and Shinzo Abe. They attended two separate events," he said.

"Shinzo stayed for another day. We had events in east Belfast, the Odyssey and Japanese investors and others were invited to that event.

"He then followed that up by inviting Martin and I out to Japan."

A 41-year-old man has been arrested in connection with Mr Abe's shooting, which has shocked many in Japan - one of the world's safest nations with some of the strictest gun control laws.

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Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness went on a four-day business mission to Japan in December 2013.

"Unlike many of the other world leaders, he [Abe} took an interest in Northern Ireland and what we were doing here," Mr Robinson explained.

"He really was a genuinely decent guy and one who was, obviously given his position, the head of a very significant nation, willing to take time out for Northern Ireland that was trying to come out of conflict."

Mr Robinson said Abe "opened up doors for us in Japan".

"The willingness of the prime minister's office to facilitate that can be very helpful, as you can imagine," he added.

"He was a charismatic figure. He was the kind of person who wanted to meet people, who was very much a man of the people."

Speaking to broadcaster RTÉ, Sinn Féin's vice-president Michelle O'Neill recounted her meeting with the former Japanese leader in 2013.

"I had the pleasure of greeting him as a minister in the executive at that time and had deputised for Martin McGuinness and I greeted him off the plane," she said.

"It's truly a shocking event and clearly all of our thoughts are with the devastated family and the devastated people in Japan."

Irish President Michael D Higgins expressed his "deep condolences" in a letter to the Emperor of Japan and Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was "deeply saddened" by the "appalling" killing.