Pakistan, June 23 -- TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has decided not to attend the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague, cancelling his June 24-26 visit just three days after it was announced, the Foreign Ministry confirmed Monday.

The ministry cited "various circumstances" behind the sudden change in plans. However, local media reports suggest Ishiba dropped the trip because a meeting between NATO and the Indo-Pacific Four (IP4) nations - Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand - is unlikely to happen.

In addition, reports indicate that a possible meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump was also uncertain, which influenced Ishiba's decision. South Korea and Australia have already confirmed that their leaders will al...