The sixth plane chartered by the Japanese government to evacuate people from the Middle East has arrived at an airport near Tokyo. It brings the number of people who have returned on such flights to 1,104.
The government has prepared the flights for Japanese nationals, including travelers, who became stranded in the region amid the rising tensions over Iran.
The last of the six planes that the government has arranged landed at Narita Airport at about 7:15 a.m. on Saturday, coming from Saudi Arabia. Two of the 222 passengers were Taiwanese, who were offered help from Japan.
A worker at a petroleum-related plant in Saudi Arabia in his 60s said he left the country following his company’s instructions. He said he felt relieved, but expressed concern that the plant may be forced to stop operations if the Strait of Hormuz remains impassable. He said he hopes the situation will calm down as soon as possible.
A mother in her 30s returned to Japan with her 11-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son from their home in Qatar. Her husband stayed behind due to his job. She said she was anxious because of the daily sounds of missiles, but now she can finally relax. She added that she is worried about her husband, and will check the news for updated information every day.
Her daughter said the noise of missiles and alarms scared her. She said her school provided online classes because of instructions to stay home. She said it was sad to leave her friends and she wished her father had returned with the family.
Three of the six chartered flights were from Saudi Arabia, two from Oman and one from the UAE. The 1,104 evacuees include some foreign nationals offered assistance from Japan, including people from South Korea and Taiwan.
The government says it currently has no plans to charter another plane.
AloJapan.com