Japanese PM Cancels Attendance at Central Asia + Japan Summit.

A visit to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida scheduled for August 9-12, has been cancelled. According to the publication Kyodo, the trip was cancelled in response to a warning issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency on the possibility of a strong earthquake and tsunami in Japan. In an apology made at a press conference today, the prime minister who was due to participate in the summit of Japan and the Central Asian countries in Astana, stated,  “As the top official in charge of the nation's crisis management, as an extra precaution, I should remain in Japan for at least about a week." Confirming the decision, official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aibek Smadiyarov announced, "According to the information of the Embassy of Japan, in connection with the earthquake in their country, a decision was made to cancel the visit of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to Kazakhstan." On August 8, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake occurred in Miyazaki prefecture in southwestern Japan and the Japan Meteorological Agency recorded earthquakes at a depth of 30 km. The Japanese government also issued a tsunami warning for Kochi and Miyazaki prefectures. The Times of Central Asia previously reported on the Prime Minister of Japan's intention to announce a package of economic assistance to Central Asia. According to the Japanese government, the initiative which Kishida planned to outline at the summit,  will reduce the heavy influence of both Russia and China on the region and afford Central Asia economic independence.