Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman has postponed his visit to Japan.
According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Yoshimasa Hayashi, Chief Cabinet Secretary and spokesperson for the Japanese government, announced at a press conference on the morning of the 20th that the scheduled visit of Crown Prince bin Salman, which was to begin that day, has been postponed.
Originally, Crown Prince bin Salman was to arrive in Japan on the 20th and meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the 21st to confirm comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in the industrial and financial sectors. A meeting with Emperor Naruhito was also scheduled for the 22nd.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi explained, "We received notice on the night of the 19th that the visit had to be postponed due to the health condition of the (Saudi) King," adding, "The visit schedule will be coordinated again between the two countries." Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Saudi King who is 88 years old this year, was previously diagnosed with pneumonia at the royal private hospital.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that although Crown Prince bin Salman's visit to Japan has been postponed, the listing of the Saudi investment exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the Tokyo Stock Exchange will proceed as planned.
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