Foreigners continue Japan exodus
Australia advised its citizens to consider leaving Tokyo and earthquake-affected areas today, joining a growing number of governments and businesses telling their people it may be safer elsewhere.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Australians with no need to be in the area should think about leaving but added that the decision had nothing to do with the threat of nuclear contamination from a damaged nuclear power plant.
“We are providing this advice because of the continuing disruption to major infrastructure, its impact on the welfare of people on the ground and continuing aftershocks,” it said.
Concerns about radiation, however, were at the forefront of other countries’ worries as the situation at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant appeared to worsen.
France urged its citizens with no reason to stay in Tokyo return to France or head to southern Japan. The government has asked Air France to mobilise aircraft in Asia to assist with departures.
Serbia and Croatia advised their citizens to leave Japan, while Croatia said it was moving its embassy from Tokyo to Osaka because of the nuclear crisis.
More than 3,000 Chinese have already been evacuated from Japan’s north-east to Niigata on Japan’s western coast. Yesterday Beijing became the first government to organise a mass evacuation of its citizens from the quake-affected area.
Other governments, including the US and UK, are taking a more measured approach.
The British Foreign Office advises against all non-essential travel to Tokyo and north-eastern Japan.
US Ambassador to Japan John Roos said American officials were monitoring radiation levels.
The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo told its citizens to follow advisories issued by Japanese authorities. It added, however, that Filipinos who are concerned about possible radiation exposure “may wish to voluntary relocate to areas further away, or depart voluntarily from the country using their own means.”
An Indian software services company, L&T Infotech, ordered the temporary evacuation of 185 employees and their family members from Japan.
Cirque du Soleil has also decided to move its performers and staff working in Japan to Macau. Its show “ZED” is based at Tokyo Disneyland, the touring “KOOZA” show was performing at the Fuji Dome in Tokyo.
