Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) has postponed his visit to Japan, originally scheduled to begin today, due to the health of King Salman, according to Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.
The Crown Prince was set to meet with Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida from 20-23 May. “Saudi Arabia informed the Japanese government that due to the health condition of King Salman of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed’s visit to Japan, which had been scheduled to begin on the 20th, had to be postponed,” Hayashi said at a news conference in Tokyo.
King Salman, 88, will undergo treatment for a lung inflammation, the Saudi state news agency reported on Sunday. Earlier, the king underwent medical tests at the royal clinics at Al Salam Palace due to “high temperature and joint pain.” The royal court announced that he would be treated with antibiotics until the inflammation subsides.
The king was previously admitted to the hospital in April for a routine check-up. As custodian of Islam’s holiest sites and ruler of the world’s top oil exporter since 2015, his health is closely monitored. His illness comes just after the crown prince met US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in the kingdom for talks on a strategic agreement between Washington and Riyadh.
The Saudi royal’s visit to Japan would have been his first since 2019. Plans included talks with Prime Minister Kishida, an audience with Emperor Naruhito, and a “court luncheon.” The Japanese government had hoped to discuss a “broad range” of West Asian and global issues during the visit.
Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Japan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The two countries will reschedule the visit, though no new date has been set. Last year, Saudi Arabia became Japan’s eighth-biggest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $42 billion according to the International Monetary Fund.
