CAB effect: Japanese PM puts off India visit

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has postponed his visit to India scheduled between December 15 and 17, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed.

“With reference to the proposed visit of Japanese PM Shinzo Abe to India, both sides have decided to defer the visit to a mutually convenient date in the near future,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted Friday afternoon.

At a press briefing in Tokyo shortly after MEA’s announcement of the postponement of the visit, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that his country will consult with the Indian government on the appropriate timing of Abe’s visit to India. Suga briefly mentioned that the visit was being postponed because of the turmoil in Assam. “There was, however, no mention of possible dates for the next visit,” a person close to the development told BusinessLine. “Japan is very disappointed with the developments in India,” he added.

Abe was scheduled to visit India to participate in the India-Japan summit with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi later this week in Guwahati.