Politics & Security
As Lebanon Crisis Deepens, SDF Flies Out Japanese Nationals
Amid rising tensions in Lebanon, Japan positioned Air Self-Defense Force transporters on-site in Jordan to swiftly evacuate citizens as hostilities continued.
On October 4, two Self-Defense Force (SDF) aircraft arrived in Jordan to evacuate Japanese nationals who wanted to leave war-torn Lebanon. Fighting in the region between Israel and the pro-Iranian militia group Hezbollah has been intensifying.
According to Japan's Ministry of Defense (MOD), two C-2 transport aircraft reached Jordan on the morning of October 4, JST. Working onsite, the SDF planned to accelerate preparations for the evacuation. The C-2s thereafter entered Lebanon to transport Japanese nationals to nearby countries.
Safeguarding Japanese Nationals Overseas
Approximately 50 Japanese nationals are currently in Lebanon, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Two Japanese residents have already departed on a chartered ship the Japanese government arranged. They arrived in Cyprus on October 3.
According to the MOD, former Defense Minister Minoru Kihara ordered the dispatch of transport aircraft to Jordan and Greece on September 27. This decision followed a request from the foreign minister. The C-2 aircraft left the Japan Air Self-Defense Force Miho Air Base in Tottori Prefecture on October 3.
SDF and government aircraft have conducted eight evacuation actions in the past to rescue Japanese nationals. In autumn 2023, they transported nationals from Israel twice.
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Read the article in Japanese.
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
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