Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Khaled bin Saud said on Monday his ministry has set up two operations rooms to deal with emergencies following the earthquake. One of the centers has been set up at the Saudi Chancellery in Tokyo while the other at the Foreign Ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh.
“Five students in the affected area have arrived safely in Tokyo by cars sent from the Saudi Royal Embassy despite the fact that all land routes to the affected area are closed except for Japanese army vehicles and ambulances,” said a source.
“The Saudi Royal Embassy had asked for the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s permission to evacuate the students via land,” he added.
Many Saudis in the city, including a woman and a child, were airlifted on Monday. Due to the difficulty of finding safe landing areas in the city, embassy vehicles were sent for the second rescue mission.
A number of Libyan, Syrian and Omani students were brought to Tokyo along with the Saudi students. The students have been put up in hotels in Tokyo and arrangements are being made to repatriate them to the Kingdom.
Saudi Ambassador to Japan Abdulaziz A. Turkistani said all students evacuated from Sendai are safe and healthy. There are around 400 Saudi citizens in Japan, including Saudi Aramco employees and students, many of whom live with their families.
Prince Khaled said two assembly points, one in Tokyo and another in Osaka, have also been established and accommodations and all subsistence requirements have been secured for all Saudi citizens there.
With the closure of universities as well as the disruption of vital services, the Foreign Ministry started to facilitate the travel of Saudi citizens to the Kingdom, the prince said. He said that the Saudi Embassy in Tokyo is working around the clock to provide care and assistance to all Saudi citizens and facilitate their return to their homeland.
The embassy has also set up hot lines in Tokyo and Osaka to help Saudi citizens: 03-35895241, 03-35895242 or 03-35895243.
