March 5 (UPI) — Japan has decided to postpone a landmark summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe amid the ongoing outbreak of the coronavirus.
Tokyo’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Thursday at a regular press briefing the decision to hold the summit at another date is related to the COVID-19 epidemic, Kyodo News and the Nikkei reported.
“The two sides agreed priority should be given to preventing the spread of the coronavirus,” Suga told reporters. “This is the biggest task at present. Both sides need to be indisputably prepared in order to ensure the best state visit.”
Suga also said Beijing and Tokyo agreed to reschedule Xi’s visit to Japan at a “good time.”
China is the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. According to official Chinese statistics, more than 80,000 people are infected. Japan has reported more than 1,000 cases that include the outbreak on a cruise ship that began in January.
Abe has previously said the summit with Xi is a necessity. The Chinese leader’s visit to Japan would be the first in nine years, but amid allegations of Chinese human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, Japanese politicians had urged Abe in January to not hold the summit.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman expressed approval of the postponement on Thursday.
Zhao Lijian, who recently suggested China is not the origin of the global pandemic, said Beijing agrees Xi’s visit should happen at an “appropriate time.”
Concerns are growing in Japan the Summer Olympics could be canceled. Japan has reported a lower number of confirmed cases than countries like Italy, Iran and South Korea, but it has also been less flexible on virus examinations for the population.
The Asahi Shimbun reported last week Japanese public health centers are rejecting requests for coronavirus tests. Public health centers are turning down people with symptoms similar to COVID-19, citing rules, according to the report.
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