Japan PM Yoshihide Suga calls off India visit amid rising COVID-19 cases
The trip, which had been scheduled from late April to early May, was intended to reaffirm Japan's cooperation with the two countries in achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific, as the nations look to counter China's military buildup and growing assertiveness in the region.
FollowIn the wake of rising cases of the novel coronavirus in Japan, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has called off a planned visit to India and the Philippines, news agency ANI on Wednesday said quoting government sources.
The trip, which had been scheduled from late April to early May, was intended to reaffirm Japan's cooperation with the two countries in achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific, as the nations look to counter China's military buildup and growing assertiveness in the region.
Japan has been trying to enhance security cooperation with such regional countries amid China's attempts to unilaterally change the status quo in the South and East China seas.
Recently, more than 200 Chinese vessels have massed the Whitsun Reef in the South China Sea claimed by both China and the Philippines.
The Asia-Pacific region features several territorial disputes in the South China and East China seas which involve Brunei, China, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Beijing claims most of the region.
Meanwhile, broadcaster FNN and other media reports said that the Japanese PM will be postponing his India visit to elevate the focus on the current Covid-19 situation. As of April 20, the nationwide cases in Japan of coronavirus was 4,335 with most cases in Osaka and Tokyo. Other prefectures that also recorded a hike in Covid-19 cases include Hyogo, Saitama, Aichi, Kanagawa among others. The number of deaths reported was 38.
Meanwhile, India is rocked with the second wave of Covid-19 with a record surge in daily cases. On April 21, India reported 2.94 lakh fresh Covid-19 cases with a death toll crossing 2,000 for the first time since the outbreak began in the nation.
While Suga’s India trip has been cancelled, he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi most recently during the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) that was convened by the US along with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
