Pankaj Nath, Assam: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takeichi’s visit to Assam in Guwahati has been cancelled and his visit will now be limited to New Delhi only. According to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri informed the state government that the Guwahati visit has been cancelled due to “logistical issues”, though the detailed details of the concrete reasons for the visit have not yet been provided to the state government.
According to reports by NDTV and India Today NE, the Assam government is yet to be given the exact reason for the cancellation of the trip. Further preparations will be reconsidered only after getting information, but for the time being, the programs and meetings to be held in Guwahati are now considered postponed. Sources quoted in the Hindustan Times have said that the Prime Minister of Japan had a very limited time due to the proceedings of the Parliament (Diet) and domestic responsibilities. According to sources, additional logistics related to travelling outside Delhi and mismatching schedules were also the main reasons behind the cancellation of the Guwahati visit.
The same point was reiterated in several leading newspaper reports that logistical problems and schedule constraints were the main reasons for the disruption in the Guwahati round. The Assam government and central government officials are currently contemplating to issue an official statement on the change in the itinerary.
The local administration has put on hold possible security and organising preparations for the time being, while the organisers of the expected meetings and receptions in Guwahati are now awaiting further information. The decision is also likely to impact local business, tourism and cultural events as many of the plans and events related to the Prime Minister’s visit were scheduled to be held at the local level.
