Govt Dispatches Airplane with Medical Equipment for Turkey

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:22 JST, February 13, 2023

CHITOSE, Hokkaido — A government airplane for carrying medical resources and equipment departed from the Air Self-Defense Force’s Chitose Air Base in Chitose, Hokkaido, on Monday morning as part of emergency international aid to Turkey, where a powerful earthquake struck last week.

The plane stopped at Narita Airport near Tokyo, where it was loaded with 15.4 tons of medical resources and equipment to be used by medical support team members.

The plane will then fly to a U.S. Air Force base in Turkey.

According to the Defense Ministry, the aircraft is a Boeing 777 special transport plane that is used by the prime minister and other government VIPs for long flights.

The cargo will include large parts for building a surgical facility as well as everyday goods, such as tents.

About 200 ASDF members lined up and clapped as they saw off the plane at Chitose Air Base, and about 50 members of a special air shipment squad were aboard.