Guwahati: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday confirmed that the proposed Assam visit of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been cancelled.
The Chief Minister said that Vikram Misri informed the Assam Chief Secretary about the cancellation on Monday night.
Speaking to reporters, Dr. Sarma described the development as unfortunate, stating that the Japanese Prime Minister was scheduled to visit Assam from July 1 to July 3. He said Ms. Takaichi will still meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, but her Assam programme has been dropped.
The Chief Minister said he had not yet been informed of the exact reasons behind the cancellation and would seek further details from External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. He, however, added that the planned visit of a Japanese business delegation to Assam is expected to take place at a later date.
According to sources, the decision was influenced by Prime Minister Takaichi’s tight domestic schedule, including the ongoing session of Japan’s Parliament, as well as logistical challenges associated with travelling outside New Delhi. As a result, all official engagements that were planned in Guwahati are now likely to be held in the national capital.
The visit was expected to highlight the strategic importance of Northeast India in Japan’s engagement with South and Southeast Asia and its Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision.
This is the second time a Japanese Prime Minister’s visit to Assam has been cancelled. In 2019, the visit of late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was called off due to protests related to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Dr. Sarma said preparations for the visit had been underway for over a month, with officials from the Japanese Embassy in Guwahati making arrangements. He added that some beautification works undertaken for the visit may now be halted to avoid unnecessary expenditure.
Prime Minister Takaichi is expected to visit India from July 1 to July 3, with all scheduled discussions now likely to take place in New Delhi.
