Japan's Foreign Ministry announced plans to evacuate nationals from four Middle Eastern countries using chartered aircraft amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. The ministry has raised danger advisories for these nations, plus Saudi Arabia and Oman, to the second-highest level 3, urging citizens to avoid all travel.
Japan's government plans to transport its nationals from Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates by land to Saudi Arabia and Oman, from where they will board chartered flights to Tokyo. The Foreign Ministry made the announcement on Thursday, noting that while commercial flights operate at international airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman, securing tickets has proven difficult, prompting the arrangement of chartered planes.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stated at a press conference that the government "will carefully respond to the concerns and inquiries of Japanese nationals living in the Middle East and travelers stranded there." Approximately 11,000 Japanese are registered with the ministry's resident and travel registration system for emergency notifications in the Middle East region.
This evacuation effort reflects the government's priority on citizen safety amid the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. The danger level has been elevated to 3—the second-highest—for the four countries plus Saudi Arabia and Oman, advising nationals to avoid all travel.