The Japanese government, which caused controversy by demanding 30,000 yen (about 270,000 won) to evacuate its citizens from Israel, is said to be planning to use Self-Defense Force transport planes to evacuate its citizens free of charge. The Japanese government also allowed Korean nationals living abroad to ride on the flight.
According to NHK on the 18th, the Japanese government is considering deploying Self-Defense Force transport planes to evacuate its citizens as fighting between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas becomes more serious. There are no plans to incur evacuation costs for passengers.
According to the Korean community in Israel, the Korean Embassy in Israel announced the day before that the Japanese government had prepared a special flight from Israel to Japan and that Koreans could board it.
A total of 20 people can board, including Korean nationals living abroad and their families, including spouses and children. Airfare is completely free.
This flight will take off from Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, at 8 p.m. on the 19th, pass through Amman, Jordan, and Singapore for refueling, and arrive at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, in the early morning of the 21st.
Previously, the Japanese government evacuated eight Korean citizens from Israel to the United Arab Emirates using a chartered flight on the 15th. When boarding a charter flight, you had to pay 30,000 yen per person.
A day earlier, on the 14th, the Korean government transported 163 Koreans and 51 Japanese and their families free of charge on an Air Force transport plane. Accordingly, criticism was raised among the Japanese that the Japanese government’s response was slow and that it was a ‘paid withdrawal’.
Hyewon Lee, Donga.com
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.