The decision came after the Japan Meteorological Agency issued an unprecedented advisory regarding an increased risk of a significant earthquake along the Nankai Trough, a seismically active zone stretching from southwestern to central Japan.
The alert was prompted by a magnitude 7.1 tremor that struck southwestern Japan on Thursday, causing minor injuries and structural damage in Miyazaki and neighboring prefectures, although no fatalities have been reported.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said in a regular news conference earlier on Friday that Kishida would "make an appropriate decision" regarding his four-day trip "after taking into account various factors."
Kishida's itinerary had included Japan's inaugural summit with five Central Asian nations in Astana, Kazakhstan, where he was expected to sign a joint declaration. The trip also encompassed planned bilateral meetings with Mongolian leaders in Ulaanbaatar.
Kishida himself announced the cancellation at a press conference following his attendance at the 79th anniversary commemoration of the atomic bombing in Nagasaki.
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