TOTTORI (Kyodo) — Two Self-Defense Forces planes departed Japan on Saturday for eastern Africa to stand by for a possible evacuation of Japanese nationals from the Middle East amid mounting safety concerns over the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.
The C-2 transport planes left Miho Air Base in Tottori Prefecture, western Japan, carrying about 120 personnel, according to the Defense Ministry. They will stand by at a Self-Defense Forces base in Djibouti, with no specific airlift plans at present as major airports in Israel and Iran remain closed.
Since Israeli strikes on Iran on June 13, the two countries have exchanged attacks, with tensions further escalating after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested using military options to pressure Tehran to abandon its nuclear program.
On Friday, a total of 87 Japanese nationals and their family members were evacuated, with 66 traveling from Iran to Azerbaijan and 21 from Israel to Jordan on government-arranged buses, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Before the bus evacuation began, about 280 Japanese citizens were in Iran, and around 1,000 were in Israel, the ministry said.
On Tuesday, Japan raised the travel alert for all of Iran to its highest, Level 4, advising nationals to “evacuate and avoid all travel.” Most of Israel has remained subject to the second-highest Level 3 advisory, which urges people to “avoid all travel.”
2 SDF planes leave Japan for Djibouti for possible Mideast evacuation
