Months of Japan's efforts to walk a fine line between an antagonized Iran and the United States were put to a crucial test Wednesday as Tehran staged two separate ballistic missile attacks on two Iraqi bases hosting U.S. troops, sending tensions soaring in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will cancel a planned visit to the region scheduled to start Saturday due to the attacks, government officials said. Abe had planned to visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
But Tokyo will "make a decision" on the timing of the trip "after closely monitoring the local situations," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference in Tokyo.