TOKYO: The Japanese government plans to dispatch on Thursday an additional charter plane to bring home Japanese nationals remaining in China's Hubei Province, amid the outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Wednesday.

The fourth such evacuation flight is expected to carry about 200 people, including the Chinese spouses and children of Japanese citizens.

The previous three government-chartered flights last week brought home a total of 565 Japanese people from the Hubei capital of Wuhan, which is locked down in the wake of the outbreak.

"We're closely coordinating with the Chinese government so that every Japanese wishing to return home can do so," Motegi told reporters. He also said Japan is working to gain China's consent for Chinese spouses and children also to take the upcoming charter flight.

In Hubei, there are currently about 140 Japanese people who hope to return home, Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said, adding that about 100 Chinese spouses and children are also hoping to flee to Japan.

JIJI Press