Japan Begins Evacuating Citizens from Israel

Japan will begin evacuating its nationals from Israel by land on Monday as regional tensions escalate, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said.

Speaking at a press conference, Kihara said the government would not disclose specific routes or exact timing of the evacuation operations to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens, according to Japan’s Jiji Press news agency.

He added that the Japan Self-Defense Forces are finalizing preparations to deploy personnel quickly to support the safe and orderly transport of nationals.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called on Iran to pursue a diplomatic solution to end the escalating conflict in the region following US and Israeli strikes targeting Tehran.

During a parliamentary committee meeting, Takaichi urged Iran to halt any actions that could destabilize the region, including what she described as an “entirely unacceptable” nuclear weapons program, and to stop attacks on neighboring countries.

She said Japan would work closely with the international community to achieve de-escalation as soon as possible and continue diplomatic efforts, while declining to comment directly on the recent US-Israeli strikes.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told lawmakers that no Japanese citizens in Iran have been reported injured so far. He said about 200 Japanese nationals are currently residing in Iran, while roughly 7,700 Japanese citizens live in countries affected by recent Iranian attacks.