Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has postponed his planned four-day visit to Japan due to concerns about the health of his father, King Salman bin Abdulaziz. Japan’s government spokesman, Yoshimasa Hayashi, announced the postponement at a regular news briefing, stating that the visit would be rescheduled but did not provide a new date.
The trip, originally set to begin on Monday, would have been MBS’s first visit to Japan since 2019. During the visit, MBS was expected to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, engage with Japanese companies, and sign an agreement to strengthen supply chains for liquid hydrogen.
The postponement follows a report from the state-run Saudi Press Agency that King Salman is suffering from inflammation of the lung and is receiving antibiotics at Al Salam Palace in Jeddah.
MBS, who handles most day-to-day affairs in Saudi Arabia and is next in line to the throne, had previously canceled a planned visit to Japan in late 2022 shortly before his scheduled arrival.
Japan and Saudi Arabia have been working to deepen their ties, with Kishida visiting Saudi Arabia in July and announcing a green energy initiative focused on hydrogen and ammonia. Technology has become a significant area of cooperation, with Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund becoming one of the largest shareholders in gaming giant Nintendo and partnering with SoftBank Group to construct a manufacturing and engineering hub in Riyadh.
The two countries have also been progressing on a “Saudi-Japan Vision 2030” agreement, aimed at boosting investment as part of MBS’s broader Vision 2030 plan to transform the Saudi economy.
Prior to the announcement of the king’s health issues, MBS met with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to discuss the war in Gaza and near-final draft strategic agreements between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. These agreements are part of ongoing negotiations that could lead to historic security guarantees and a potential pathway to diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Additionally, MBS met with regional leaders, including Jordan’s King Abdullah II, at the 33rd Arab Summit in Bahrain.
