07/11/2009
Obama delays Japan visit to attend Fort Hood memorial
MOSCOW, November 7 (RIA Novosti) - U.S. President Barack Obama will start his visit to Japan a day late to allow him to attend a memorial ceremony for the victims of Thursday's shooting at the Fort Hood military base, Japanese media said.
Washington asked Tokyo to rearrange the schedule for Obama's two-day visit so that the president could pay his respects to the 13 people killed when Major Nidal Malik Hasan went on a shooting rampage at the Texan military base.
Obama was initially due to arrive in Japan on November 12 for talks with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and a meeting with Emperor Akihito. He will now arrive on November 14.
A date has yet to be set for the memorial.
"When a service is scheduled the president will attend," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters.
The attack by military psychiatrist Hasan, 39, has raised fears of a backlash against Muslims in the U.S. after it was revealed that the gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar" during his assault.
Hasan, who is in hospital after being shot a number of times, was thought to have been unhappy about an impending deployment to Afghanistan.
