Japan Sends Transport Aircraft to Afghanistan... Zero Passengers on First Day

No One Arrived at the Airport for Cheolsu
Taliban: "We Are Protecting Japanese... SDF Must Leave Immediately"

[Image source=NHK World Twitter capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] Although Japanese authorities dispatched transport aircraft to evacuate Japanese nationals remaining in Afghanistan and local people who cooperated with the Japanese government, it is reported that no one was boarded on the first day of the operation.

On the 26th, NHK reported that "the transport aircraft arrived at Kabul Airport, the capital of Afghanistan, on the evening of the 25th local time, but no evacuees arrived at the airport," adding, "The Self-Defense Forces are expected to focus on bringing back as many people as possible on the 26th."

Earlier, the Japan Self-Defense Forces had dispatched three transport aircraft to Islamabad, Pakistan, near Afghanistan, and planned to send them sequentially to Kabul from there to evacuate Japanese nationals in Afghanistan and local staff who worked at the Japanese embassy.

However, the C2 transport aircraft, which arrived first in Kabul on the 25th as the advance team, reportedly could not board anyone as no evacuees arrived at the airport.

NHK reported, "The Japanese government required evacuees to move to the airport on their own to ensure the safety of the evacuation operation," and it seems that many people had difficulty reaching the airport because the Taliban blocked access routes to the airport locally.

Having failed to rescue anyone on the first day, the Japanese government plans to continue the evacuation operation by sending two C130 transport aircraft to Kabul Airport on the 26th.

Meanwhile, local media FNN reported on the same day that the Taliban requested the Self-Defense Forces to withdraw from Afghanistan.

In an interview with FNN, a Taliban spokesperson said, "We want the Self-Defense Forces to leave Afghanistan immediately," adding, "We will protect the Japanese remaining in Afghanistan."

The spokesperson further stated, "We want to have friendly diplomatic relations with Japan," but added, "The presence of the Self-Defense Forces in Afghanistan is undesirable."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.