Tokyo: US President Barack Obama has delayed
his visit to Japan next week by one day, a Japanese Foreign
Ministry official said today, following a deadly shooting at a
military base in Texas.
Japanese national broadcaster NHK and Jiji Press reported
that Washington had asked Tokyo to reschedule the two-day
visit to allow Obama to attend a memorial service for the 13
people killed in Thursday's shooting.
Obama had been due to arrive for his first trip to Japan
on Thursday for talks with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and
to meet Emperor Akihito.
"The (US) government has requested a delay," a foreign
ministry official told, adding that the Japanese
government had agreed to the request.
Obama would now be arriving on Friday and stay until
today, the official said.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs earlier told reporters
in the United States that Obama would attend a memorial
service for those killed when a Muslim army doctor went on the
rampage at the Fort Hood base.
"When a service is scheduled the president will attend,"
he said, adding only that the timing of the memorial would be
scheduled "for the convenience of the families".
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, November 07, 2009, 13:09