TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday thanked Japan for helping two Taiwanese leave Bahrain amid the Middle East war.

On Thursday, Taiwan diplomats assisted the two with their journey to reach the Saudi capital Riyadh from Bahrain overland, the ministry said in a statement. They boarded a plane chartered by the Japanese government on Friday afternoon, arriving at Tokyo’s Narita Airport Saturday morning.

The latest example of Taiwan-Japan cooperation shows their friendship and willingness to assist each other in times of crisis, the ministry said. Its statement described the two countries as partners in the Indo-Pacific region sharing the same universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights.

Taiwan’s offices in the Middle East would continue to assist those nationals wishing to leave and return home, the ministry said, thanking Japan for providing places on its government charter flight.