Tokyo

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided to postpone his visit to India that had been slated to start Sunday, due to the deteriorating security situation there, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Friday.

It is unusual for an overseas trip by a prime minister to be canceled at the last minute.

Japan and India have been continuing mutual visits by their leaders since 2005. This year, Japan's prime minister was to visit India. The two governments will reschedule Abe's trip.

"We decided to postpone the prime minister's visit, after holding talks with the Indian government based on a local security situation report from the Indian side," Suga told a press conference. "Japan and India will discuss rescheduling the prime minister's visit for an appropriate time for both countries," Suga said.

Abe was slated to visit India for three days from Sunday and hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the northeastern Indian city of Guwahati on Monday.

But riots are continuing in India over the Indian government's immigration policy. Police opened fire on anti-government protesters in Guwahati on Thursday, leading to casualties.

"The local security situation is very serious," a Japanese government source said. "It would be a huge problem if the prime minister travels to Indian under the circumstances and anything happens to him as a result."

Jiji Press