Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has decided to forgo a planned visit to South America in January next year, informed sources said Friday.

Kishida now believes it is necessary to focus on responding to a high-profile political funds scandal involving the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the sources said.

The prime minister had planned to visit Paraguay and Chile, in addition to Brazil, which will hold the Group of 20 presidency next year.

JIJI Press