Following are travel warnings from several countries after last Friday's devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant, causing explosions and radiation leaks.
The Japanese Red Cross said on Wednesday Tokyo was safe for international travellers as far as nuclear radiation was concerned, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said:
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AUSTRIA: "All Austrians, especially families with children in the greater Tokyo/Yokohama area, are advised to leave the country temporarily or leave the greater Tokyo/Yokohama area," the Foreign Ministry website says.
– Austrian diplomatic staff have shifted to the consulate in Osaka from the embassy in Tokyo, which is being operated by local staff for now:
AUSTRALIA: Australia urged its citizens with non-essential roles in Japan to consider leaving Tokyo and the eight prefectures most damaged by the earthquake due to problems with infrastructure rather than nuclear concerns.
BANGLADESH: Bangladesh has instructed its mission in Tokyo to relocate its citizens to a safer place free from radiation, the government said on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni asked for their temporary relocation, officials said.
BELGIUM: Belgium recommends that people avoid travelling to Japan for the time being. Some families of Belgian embassy staff working in Japan have taken up an offer to return home, but it is not currently thinking about withdrawing its diplomatic staff.
Belgium said on Wednesday it was sending an army plane to Japan to evacuate Belgian nationals from the country. The plane will arrive in Japan on Friday, the foreign ministry said. Before the crisis there were around 1,000 Belgian nationals in Japan, but some have already left.
BRITAIN: Britain advised its citizens on Wednesday to consider leaving Tokyo and the area north of the capital.
CANADA: Canada warned its citizens to avoid all travel within 20 km (12 miles) of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, and avoid non-essential travel to areas of northern Japan that were near the quake and hit by the subsequent tsunamis.
Canadians were also warned to "exercise a high degree of caution" in travelling to the Tokyo region because of damage suffered by its transport, power and telecommunication systems.
CROATIA: The Croatian foreign ministry recommended the Croatian citizens to leave the country, or to move to its south if their stay is essential. Also, the Croatian embassy will be temporarily transferred to Osaka.
FINLAND: Finland said on Tuesday all travel to Japan, especially to Tokyo and northeastern Japan, should be avoided. It urged families with children to consider leaving the area.
FRANCE: France urged its citizens in Tokyo to leave the country or head for southern Japan.
It had earlier strongly advised its nationals not to travel to Japan because of the high threats of aftershocks.
GERMANY: "Non-essential travel to Japan is inadvisable," the Foreign Ministry website says.
ITALY: The Italian Foreign Ministry has issued a notice advising Italians to leave Japan. Officials are meeting Alitalia to work out plans for extra flights if existing capacity insufficient.
NETHERLANDS: The Dutch Foreign Affairs Ministry is advising its citizens not to travel to the Kantei region, including Tokyo, and areas to the north and northeast, and to leave this part of Japan if they are there currently.
NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand’s foreign ministry continues to advise avoiding all non-essential travel to Tokyo and the affected northeastern regions.
NORWAY: The Norwegian foreign ministry put out a bulletin on Tuesday advising against travel to Japan.
PHILIPPINES: Non-essential embassy personnel and dependents are being sent home, the Philippines’ ambassador to Tokyo, Manuel Lopez, said. Lopez said Filipinos in Japan who want to go home can do so, with the embassy helping them make arrangements for their flights home.
POLAND: The Polish Foreign Ministry has issued a statement urging Polish citizens to avoid all unnecessary travel to Japan at present.
PORTUGAL: Portugal’s Foreign Ministry website said on Wednesday, "given the situation in Japan, all Portuguese citizens without essential reasons to remain in the country are advised to consider the possibility of leaving Japan temporarily or moving to the south of the country, especially families with children and pregnant women. All non-essential trips to Japan are inadvisable."
SERBIA – Serbia called on Tuesday on all the country’s nationals to leave Japan on regular flights, or contact the embassy in Tokyo and follow local emergency procedures.
SLOVAKIA: Slovakia has recommended citizens not to travel to affected regions in Japan and delay planned trips to other regions, including Tokyo.
SLOVENIA: Slovenia has warned its nationals not to travel to Japan unless necessary.
SOUTH KOREA: The South Korean foreign ministry has issued a travel advisory for Japan. It advised against travel to the Fukushima area and other areas north of Tokyo.
SWEDEN: Sweden on Tuesday put out a bulletin advising against any non-essential travel to Japan. The foreign ministry bulletin highlighted travel to Tokyo and northeastern Japan and expanded a previous recommendation cautioning against voyages to the Japanese prefectures hardest hit by the quake and tsunami.
SWITZERLAND: Switzerland has issued an advisory for Japan, advising against all travel to the northeast as well as to the prefectures of Nagano and Niigata. The Foreign Ministry also advises against all tourist and non-essential journeys to Japan in general and recommends all Swiss nationals should temporarily leave the crisis areas in the northeast of Japan as well as the wider Tokyo/Yokohama area.
TAIWAN: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday that elderly, children and female Taiwanese expatriates should consider leaving Japan due to escalating radiation risks, though it is not offering charter flights out as yet. The ministry also urged people to avoid non-essential trips to Japan for the time being.
TURKEY: Turkey warned its citizens against non-essential travel to Japan.
UNITED STATES: The United States on Wednesday recommended its citizens living within 80 km (50 miles) of the Fukushima nuclear power plant evacuate the area or take shelter indoors.
The State Department earlier urged U.S. citizens to avoid tourism and non-essential travel to Japan at this time and also requested all non-essential official U.S. government personnel defer travel to Japan.
