Sunday, April 17, 2011

France relaxes travel restrictions of its citizens in Japan


Foreign embassies in Japan are now advising its nationals to return to the country that is facing its greatest challenge since its devastation from World War II.
Yesterday, I reported that the US embassy advised its citizens to return to Japan.
On 14 April, the French Embassy in Tokyo through its Website told its nationals that living in and traveling within the capital does not pose health risks.
Acknowledging the Fukushima crisis, the French government discouraged traveling to Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi and Tochigi prefectures—areas that are close to the damaged power station.
It also said that movement to other parts of the country is deemed safe.
* * *
The Ministry of Justice said that 531,000 foreign nationals left Japan four weeks post-quake, in a report by Kyodo News.
During the first week after the twin disasters of magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami, 244,000 flee the country following the advisory of their respective countries to find safer havens elsewhere.
Of those who left during the first four weeks after the earthquake 302,000 (57 percent) secured reentry permits.
Among those who left the country were: 39,000 Americans, 107,000 South Koreans and 185,000 Chinese.
* * *
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake was felt in the eastern part of Honshu region at 11:19 Saturday, Kyodo News said.
The quake measured 5+ on the Japanese seismic intensity scale in Hokota, Ibaraki Prefecture and 5- on other parts of Ibaraki, Saitama and Tochigi prefectures.
The epicenter was 81 km (50 miles) north of Tokyo, according to USGS.
No tsunami warning was issued. Bullet train services were suspended temporarily between Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture and Tokyo because of power outage.
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