Japan's Abe expresses concern over Venezuela crisis, pitches for 'democratic' solution

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday that Japan wants a stable, democratic and prompt solution to the Venezuela situation shortly after France said it recognised national assembly president Juan Guaido as the country's interim leader.

Abe made the statement after a summit with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is in Japan on a two-day visit aimed at forging an "alliance of multilateralists" to resist U.S. President Donald Trump's "America First" approach to trade and China's pursuit of narrow national interests.

(With inputs from agencies.)