Cancellation of Japanese PM's Visit to Assam Raises Speculations

Cancellation of Visit Confirmed

Guwahati, June 23: On Tuesday, Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the cancellation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's planned visit to Guwahati, putting an end to a day filled with speculation and political discussions in the state.

After a Cabinet meeting at Lok Bhawan, Sarma informed the media that the Ministry of External Affairs had notified the Chief Secretary of Assam about the cancellation late Monday night.

According to Sarma, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri communicated to the Chief Secretary around 10:30 PM that the Japanese Prime Minister would not be visiting Guwahati and would instead remain in New Delhi.

While Sarma did not receive any explanation for the cancellation, he refrained from making assumptions regarding the matter.

"We haven't been given a reason, and due to protocol, we cannot inquire further. I will seek clarification when I meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Delhi," he stated.

Sarma mentioned that the cancellation was communicated to Assam in brief, without any detailed explanation, but the Centre assured that a high-level business delegation would visit Assam soon.

"It's unfortunate for us. We attempted to bring them in 2019 but were unsuccessful. A Japanese team has been in Assam for over a month, thoroughly assessing Guwahati, including accommodations and dining options," he added, referencing the previous cancellation of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit during the anti-CAA protests in 2019.

The anticipated visit was expected to include a 50-member business delegation, with representatives from Maruti Suzuki among those scheduled to attend. Sarma expressed his intention to discuss potential future collaborations for Assam with the Prime Minister.

When pressed for more details on the cancellation, Sarma hinted that he had an idea but chose not to elaborate.

"I have a sense of the reason, but I will only disclose it after speaking with EAM Jaishankar. Until then, it would not be appropriate for a Chief Minister to comment on unverified information," he remarked.

Sarma confirmed that beautification projects related to the visit would be halted. "Since the guest is not coming, we will not proceed with the beautification planned for the visit, as it would incur costs for the state. However, ongoing beautification unrelated to the visit will continue," he clarified.

On a related note, the Chief Minister expressed optimism about an increase in tourist arrivals from Europe, Australia, and Japan over the next three years.

He noted that the United States and Canada are currently the only countries maintaining travel advisories regarding India, expressing hope that these would eventually be lifted.

Regarding travel advisories for Indian officials abroad, Sarma mentioned that with the West Asia conflict nearing resolution, the state would consider easing its advisory for officials traveling internationally.

When asked about direct flight options from the region, he stated that efforts are underway to establish a direct air link between Guwahati and Vietnam.

Before the Chief Minister's announcement, reports of the cancellation had already ignited political discussions in the state.

Various national newspapers and online platforms had indicated that Takaichi's visit to Guwahati was likely to be canceled due to "scheduling constraints" and "logistical issues," with the trip expected to be limited to New Delhi.

BJP MLA Chakradhar Gogoi had reportedly connected the suspected cancellation to the recent controversy surrounding the removal of a mural of Assamese cultural figure Zubeen Garg from a pillar of the Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha Flyover at Ganeshguri.

However, the Opposition dismissed this connection, with Leader of Opposition and Congress legislator Wajid Ali Choudhury asserting that there was no basis to claim that the mural protest influenced the decision, emphasizing that the issue had been resolved without escalation.