Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is unlikely to attend a meeting of Group of 20 foreign ministers in India from Wednesday, instead prioritizing parliamentary business, according to a government official.
It remains unclear whether he will attend a Friday meeting of the "Quad," which groups Japan with the U.S., Australia and India, according to the official, who asked not to be identified in line with policy. The news was reported earlier by Japanese media, including the Nikkei daily. A deputy minister is likely to be dispatched in his place, the reports said.
Keeping the foreign minister at home for a domestic matter could irritate G20 host India. The move comes as Japan seeks to bolster security and other ties with Narendra Modi’s government amid growing concerns about China’s assertive behavior in the region, as well as Russia’s war in Ukraine.