Japan PM Abe cancels trip to Europe, Middle East due to rain disaster

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday canceled a planned trip to Europe and the Middle East, remaining in Japan to oversee the government's response to the devastation caused by torrential rain in the west of the country over recent days.Abe had been scheduled to leave for Brussels on Wednesday to sign a free trade deal with the European Union. In response to the cancellation of the trip, the European Commission said Japan and the European Union have agreed to hold a meeting between Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Abe in Tokyo on July 17 to sign the pact.After Belgium, Abe was ex…READ FULL ARTICLE