TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Japanese Foreign Ministry on Friday (Nov. 3) said a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) aerial refueling and transport plane carried 46 passengers out of Israel on Thursday (Nov. 2) en route to Japan, including a Taiwanese national.
In a press release issued by the ministry, the passengers on board included one Taiwanese, 20 Japanese along with two foreign family members, 15 South Koreans, four Vietnamese, and four foreign national family members. The 46 passengers left Israel on a Boeing JASDF KC-767.
According to Reuters, this is the second time that a Japanese military transport aircraft has been used to conduct similar evacuation operations since the Israel-Hamas war started last month. The evacuation mission is occurring as Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko is on a visit to Israel, the Palestinian Territories, and Jordan.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jeff Liu (劉永健) told Taiwan News that the Taiwanese citizen aboard the JASDF flight was not the same individual as the Doctors Without Borders physician who was evacuated from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday (Nov. 1).