Virus outbreak delays Xi’s state visit to neighboring Japan

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Japan has been postponed so both countries can fight the coronavirus outbreak, Japan’s chief government spokesman said Thursday. The visit had been expected in April, but Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said it will be rescheduled when Xi’s visit can be fruitful. The virus that emerged in China late last year has infected 95,000 people in more than 80 countries and caused over 3,200 deaths. The vast majority of cases have been in China but Japan has also been badly hit. It has confirmed 1,030 cases, including 706 from a cruise ship. Twelve deaths have been confirmed in Japan.

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