THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
October 20, 2021 at 17:45 JST
Afghan evacuees, including those who worked at the Japanese Embassy in Afghanistan, arrive at Narita Airport on Oct. 19. (Takayuki Kakuno)
NARITA, Chiba Prefecture--Eighty-eight Afghans with ties to Japan, evacuated from Afghanistan where the Taliban have seized power, arrived at Narita Airport on Oct. 19.
After landing at the airport in Chiba Prefecture at about 7 p.m., they headed to a COVID-19 quarantine station accompanied by Foreign Ministry officials.
They include local staff at the Japanese Embassy and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and their families.
“I am honored to have come to Japan," said an Afghan man who had worked as a local staff member at the Japanese Embassy, holding his small child. "I'm thankful for the Japanese government's support and its people’s cooperation.”
The evacuated local staff and their families consisted of eight groups, or 32 people, from the Japanese Embassy and five groups, or 21 people, from JICA, according to the Foreign Ministry.
There were also 24 foreign students in JICA programs and 11 others, whose identities were not disclosed.
The 88 Afghans fled their country in early October on a private plane arranged by the Qatari government that was requested by the Japanese government. They arrived in Japan via Qatar.
Including the latest arrivals, the number of Afghans who have arrived in Japan with Japanese government support now totals 261.
But it is believed that more than 200 local staff and others have been left behind in the country.
Japan will continue to negotiate with the Taliban and the Qatari government to ensure their safety.
The Foreign Ministry and JICA have begun interviewing Afghans who have already arrived in Japan.
“Deep inside, many people want to go home, but that would be difficult until the political situation becomes stabilized,” said a senior ministry official. “We would like to support the local staff, including their families, and others as much as possible during their stay here.”
(This article was written by Ryo Aibara and Yohei Kobayakawa.)
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