SDF planes on standby for evacuation from Mideast to return to Japan
Nakatani also said at a press conference that the government decided to end the standby of the two C-2 transport aircraft in Djibouti also because Japanese citizens who had hoped to leave Israel or Iran have already been evacuated by land.
"With a high sense of urgency, we will continue to respond to the situation appropriately with all-out efforts to ensure the safety of Japanese people in the region," Nakatani said.
The C-2s arrived in Dibouti on June 22 following an escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict. A cease-fire between the two longtime foes was announced on June 24.
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