Politics & Government

SDF Aircraft Flies to Jordan for Evacuation Standby; Move Prompted by Dire Situation in Gaza Strip

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Defense Minister Minoru Kihara speaks at the Defense Ministry on Oct. 18.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:48 JST, October 25, 2023

In light of the increasingly dire situation surrounding the Gaza Strip, the Japanese government has sent a Self-Defense Forces transport plane to Jordan from Djibouti to prepare for the swift evacuation of Japanese nationals from the region, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said Tuesday.

The SDF C-2 arrived in Jordan on Tuesday local time to join another C-2 transport aircraft on standby there.

One more transport plane will also be dispatched from Japan to Jordan, which neighbors Israel, according to government sources.

“The situation surrounding Gaza continues to require caution. Japan will take all possible measures to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals,” Kihara told reporters.