Ukraine's prime minister cancels trip to Japan over political turmoil
The sources say Yulia Svyrydenko planned to participate in the Ukrainian National Day event on August 5. They also say Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka will visit Japan instead.
They say arrangements are underway for Kachka to make a courtesy call on Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, and to meet Cabinet ministers including Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi, as well as senior officials of the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
In Ukraine, nationwide protests erupted last week when a law was enacted to place two anti-corruption agencies under the control of the president-appointed prosecutor general. Demonstrators rallied against the law, which would strip the authorities of independence from the government.
Svyrydenko only recently took office as prime minister. She reportedly called off her travel in response to the political turmoil in her country.
The sources say Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska will visit Japan as scheduled.
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