Tokyo exodus gathers pace
Source: Agencies |
March 18, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
Airlines pulled in extra, larger aircraft yesterday to help thousands of people leave Tokyo and some began screening planes, passengers and crew for radiation as Japan raced against nuclear disaster.
As an increasing number of governments, from Britain to New Zealand to South Korea, advised citizens to leave quake-affected northern Japan, airlines mobilized for a stream of mainly outbound traffic from the capital.
"We can keep flying even if the situation deteriorates further. But never say never; we don't know what will happen there over the coming days and weeks," Christoph Franz, chief executive of Germany's Lufthansa, said in Frankfurt.
The US State Department said the government had chartered aircraft to help Americans leave Japan and had authorised the voluntary departure of family members of diplomatic staff in Tokyo, Nagoya and Yokohama - about 600 people.
"The situation has deteriorated in the days since the tsunami and ... the situation has grown at times worse with potential greater damage and fallout from the reactor," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
The US travel advisory came after Australia urged citizens with non-essential roles in Japan to consider leaving Tokyo and the eight prefectures most damaged by the earthquake due to infrastructure problems rather than nuclear concerns. "We have a real problem in terms of the infrastructure in Japan," Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said.
Britain said it was chartering flights from Tokyo to Hong Kong, which would cost 600 pounds (US$967) per person. Britons directly affected by the tsunami would not be charged.
France and Germany have also advised citizens in Tokyo to get out or head to southern Japan. France's ambassador to Tokyo, Philippe Faure, said he expected about 500 nationals to be flown out yesterday and 700-800 today.
Air India increased flights and used bigger planes to help bring back Indians from Japan. Health authorities in several countries responded to concerns about the possible health impact from radiation by starting checks on people, planes and boats.
Air France said it was checking planes and offering medical advice to crew, 10 of whom agreed to be scanned for radiation by France's nuclear safety agency. The results of all the tests were negative, a spokeswoman said.
Lufthansa said it was scanning aircraft arriving from Japan but all results had so far come back negative.
As an increasing number of governments, from Britain to New Zealand to South Korea, advised citizens to leave quake-affected northern Japan, airlines mobilized for a stream of mainly outbound traffic from the capital.
"We can keep flying even if the situation deteriorates further. But never say never; we don't know what will happen there over the coming days and weeks," Christoph Franz, chief executive of Germany's Lufthansa, said in Frankfurt.
The US State Department said the government had chartered aircraft to help Americans leave Japan and had authorised the voluntary departure of family members of diplomatic staff in Tokyo, Nagoya and Yokohama - about 600 people.
"The situation has deteriorated in the days since the tsunami and ... the situation has grown at times worse with potential greater damage and fallout from the reactor," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
The US travel advisory came after Australia urged citizens with non-essential roles in Japan to consider leaving Tokyo and the eight prefectures most damaged by the earthquake due to infrastructure problems rather than nuclear concerns. "We have a real problem in terms of the infrastructure in Japan," Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said.
Britain said it was chartering flights from Tokyo to Hong Kong, which would cost 600 pounds (US$967) per person. Britons directly affected by the tsunami would not be charged.
France and Germany have also advised citizens in Tokyo to get out or head to southern Japan. France's ambassador to Tokyo, Philippe Faure, said he expected about 500 nationals to be flown out yesterday and 700-800 today.
Air India increased flights and used bigger planes to help bring back Indians from Japan. Health authorities in several countries responded to concerns about the possible health impact from radiation by starting checks on people, planes and boats.
Air France said it was checking planes and offering medical advice to crew, 10 of whom agreed to be scanned for radiation by France's nuclear safety agency. The results of all the tests were negative, a spokeswoman said.
Lufthansa said it was scanning aircraft arriving from Japan but all results had so far come back negative.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
