- Assam's planned summit with Japan PM Sanae Takaichi in Guwahati was cancelled
- Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri informed Assam about the change in visit schedule
- Japanese PM's visit will be limited to New Delhi due to tight schedule and logistics
The Assam capital was being decked up for a big summit. A massive renovation and facelift project had been underway for weeks. Then came a jolt to the plans. The proposed visit of Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to Guwahati has been cancelled.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had informed the state government about the change in schedule.
"Last night, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri conveyed a message to the Chief Secretary of the Assam government stating that, due to specific reasons, the Prime Minister of Japan will not visit Assam this time and her visit will remain limited to New Delhi," Sarma said.
He added that Japanese authorities have indicated that a separate date will be scheduled in the future to facilitate a visit by Japanese business representatives to Assam.
Sarma also said the exact reason for the cancellation has not been communicated to the Assam government. "We cannot ask the Japanese PM about the reason for the cancellation. We will only find out when I go to Delhi and meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar," he said.
News agency PTI has reported that the plan to hold the next annual India-Japan summit in Assam has been shelved due to the Japanese PM's tight schedule and logistical issues. The summit will now take place in New Delhi.
Takaichi is set to visit India from July 1 to 3, which will be her first trip to the country after becoming Prime Minister.
The Indian side had made initial preparations to hold the summit in Guwahati in line with Japan's focus on boosting its engagement with the Northeast.
Given PM Takaichi's domestic commitments, including an ongoing session of the Japanese Parliament, the window between her proposed arrival in India and her departure is quite tight, PTI report said quoting sources.
This is the second time a proposed visit by a Japanese Prime Minister to Assam has been cancelled. Earlier, a visit by the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was called off due to anti-CAA protests.
Asked about the beautification drive in Guwahati ahead of the now-cancelled visit, the CM said routine work will continue, though the special measures being undertaken will not be carried out.
