Japan PM delays trip to SE Asia

Japan PM delays trip to SE Asia

TOKYO (Reuters): Japan's top government spokesman said on Thursday that a scheduled trip by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to Southeast Asian countries next week will be postponed in the wake of terror attacks in the United States.

"We have been exerting our best efforts to realize this trip, which will be important to the future of our country, but we have decided to postpone it," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told a news conference.

Koizumi had planned to visit Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia during a seven-day trip starting on Sunday.

Fukuda said that Koizumi had made the decision since he felt it important to stay in Tokyo as a precautionary measure to prevent confusion in Japan and its economy.