Japan Calls On Shanghai To Help Nationals Return Home
Japan's Consulate General in Shanghai, China, has called on municipal authorities to help Japanese nationals fly back to Japan amid tight coronavirus lockdowns.
Coronavirus infections are surging in China. Authorities confirmed 8,655 community transmissions nationwide as of Tuesday, with 5,982 of them in Shanghai. Most of those who tested positive had no symptoms.
A lockdown is in effect in eastern Shanghai from Monday to Friday this week, with similar measures to be imposed in the western part of the city from Friday to Tuesday.
The Consulate General says it asked authorities earlier this week to secure transportation for Japanese nationals to reach Shanghai Pudong International Airport in the eastern part of the city.
Shanghai has the largest population of Japanese expatriates in China. About 38,000 were living in the city as of October last year. Many Japanese people are scheduled to return home in late March and early April, at the turn of the fiscal year.