Japan PM cancels US visit, under pressure to quit

Tokyo, Aug.19 (ANI): Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has scrapped plans to meet U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington next month, as pressure is building up on him to resign in coming weeks.

The New York Times quoted a top government spokesman, as saying on Friday that Japan had stopped trying to organize Kan's trip, which was to have taken place in early September.

The spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano, said that the trip was impossible given "Japan's current political situation."

This seemed to be a reference to growing speculation in political circles that Kan could soon step down, even as early as the end of next week, according to some local press reports. (ANI)