He cut short a trip to the south-western city of Nagasaki, where he was campaigning ahead of forthcoming upper house elections. The seven deaths took place in the city of Kashiwazaki. Four women and three men - all in their 70s and 80s - died from injuries sustained in the earthquake, the National Police Agency said. City official Takashi Otsuka said about 2,000 people had been evacuated from thei