Jan 27, 2020 (Nikkei) - Tokyo and Washington are making plans to evacuate Japanese and American citizens from Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak that has claimed more than 50 lives, while Honda Motor said Sunday it was evacuating about 30 employees and family members out of the area back to Japan.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Sunday that after his government finishes talks with Chinese authorities, it will bring back "all [Japanese citizens] that wish to return, and is looking at all possible means, such as chartered flights."
Abe said that the government has been asking Japanese residents in Wuhan if they want to leave the city. Some 430 Japanese nationals had been confirmed to reside in or near Wuhan, according to Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.
Honda said that it will have roughly 30 personnel, including Japanese expatriates and their families, fly from Wuhan to Japan on a charter flight arranged by the government. A few employees are expected to stay in Wuhan, where the automaker has three factories.
Motegi spoke with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi over the phone on Sunday evening to ask for China's cooperation in bringing Japanese citizens back home. Wang expressed understanding of Japan's position. Motegi also promised Japan's full support to prevent the infection from spreading. Wang said that China will work to provide information to the international community.
The government is also considering evacuation by road from Hubei Province, and have Japanese nationals take flights home from other places, according to sources.
Japanese Prime Minister said Sunday that his government was considering using charter flights to evacuate Japanese citizens from the Chinese city of Wuhan.
The Chinese government said on Sunday the death toll in the country from the coronavirus rose to 56 from 41 a day earlier, with 1,975 cases confirmed. Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, the U.S., France, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Nepal and Malaysia have all reported cases.
