TOKYO: The Japanese government will send Self-Defense Forces aircraft to Djibouti to prepare for the possible evacuation of Japanese nationals from Israel, amid escalating violence between the country and Hamas, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday.

The aircraft will be on standby in Djibouti, where the SDF has a base, Kishida told reporters. The Japanese government is expected to send C-2 transport aircraft and others to Djibouti.

“We’ll respond quickly if there is a need to transport Japanese nationals,” Kishida said. “We’ll work closely together with other countries to take all possible measures to evacuate Japanese nationals and ensure their safety.”

Separately, a chartered flight will leave Tel Aviv on Saturday for Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to help fly Japanese nationals out of Israel.

“The local situation is very fluid, so we hope people who wish to leave (Israel) will take this opportunity,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a press conference.

Matsuno said that there are a handful of Japanese people living in Gaza and that all are in contact with the Japanese government. There have been no reports of injuries at this time, he said.

Around 1,300 Japanese nationals live in Israel. Most are believed to have left the country after the fighting between Israel and Hamas began.

JIJI Press