TOKYO: Tokyo is urging its citizens to leave Lebanon, Japan’s top government spokesman said Friday, with media reporting plans are afoot to dispatch military aircraft to evacuate them.

Israeli bombing has killed hundreds of people this week in Lebanon, particularly in Hezbollah strongholds while the militant group has retaliated with rocket barrages.

“We’re currently checking the safety of Japanese citizens living in Lebanon, as well as urging them to leave the country while regular commercial flights remain in operation”, chief cabinet secretary HAYASHI Yoshimasa said Friday.

Meanwhile, Japanese media reported that arrangements are currently underway for the government to send military aircraft to Jordan where they will be on stand-by.

The C-2 transport aircraft will be mobilised to evacuate around 50 Japanese citizens currently in Lebanon, media outlets including Kyodo News said, citing unnamed government sources.

KAMIKAWA Yoko, Japan’s foreign minister, said Wednesday that Tokyo is “strongly concerned about the escalation of tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.”

Japan, she added, “strongly urges” all parties to “exercise the utmost restraint to avoid further escalation.”

Israel has rejected a push by allies for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon and has vowed to keep fighting Hezbollah militants.

AFP