Japanese Self-Defense Force Transport Aircraft Withdraws 'Empty-Handed' After Assisting Afghan Evacuation

Japanese Government's Evacuation Support Transport Aircraft Deployment Delayed
Local Japanese Embassy Staff Evacuated First, Disrupting Support Operations

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), dispatched to assist local staff working at the Japanese embassy who wish to escape Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover, will withdraw "empty-handed."

According to Kyodo News and others on the 31st, the Japanese government plans to withdraw the JSDF, sent to support the evacuation of Afghans, as early as September 1, coinciding with the deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan.

The Japanese government sent about 300 Ground Self-Defense Force personnel, three transport aircraft, and one government plane to Pakistan, a neighboring country of Afghanistan, starting from the 23rd to evacuate approximately 500 Afghans who worked at the Japanese embassy and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), along with their families.

The JSDF transport aircraft, based at Islamabad Airport in Pakistan, landed several times at Kabul Airport after the 25th but failed to evacuate a single Afghan local who had worked for Japan.

This was because proper preparations to bring Afghans wishing to evacuate to the airport were not made.

In this regard, criticism has arisen that the Japanese government's decision to dispatch evacuation support transport aircraft was delayed, and there are also claims that the evacuation of Japanese embassy staff in Kabul first caused disruptions to the evacuation support operations.

Compounding the situation was a suicide bombing near Kabul Airport on the 26th, which prevented hundreds of locals, who had planned to gather at the airport by about ten buses arranged by the Japanese government, from accessing the airport.

Ultimately, on the 26th and 27th, the JSDF evacuated only 14 former Afghan government officials requested by the U.S. military for escape assistance and one Japanese national who had worked as a Kyodo News Afghan correspondent to Pakistan.

Afterward, the Japanese government kept a transport aircraft on standby at Islamabad Airport, looking for an opportunity, but judged that securing safety at Kabul Airport would be difficult after the U.S. military withdrawal, and appears to have decided to end evacuation operations using the transport aircraft.

The Japanese government plans to decide on the withdrawal of the JSDF transport aircraft at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting attended by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

It is known that about 500 people remain in Afghanistan, including a small number of Japanese nationals who do not wish to leave immediately and Afghan staff and their families from the Japanese embassy who hope to evacuate abroad.

The Japanese government is reportedly considering alternatives such as evacuation support using commercial flights while monitoring the local security situation in Afghanistan.

Katsunobu Kato, Chief Cabinet Secretary and spokesperson for the Japanese government, said at a press conference on the 30th, "The situation in Afghanistan is changing rapidly. We will respond appropriately while observing the local situation."

Japanese media are urging an investigation into the circumstances, stating that the government's failure to respond swiftly led to the failure of this evacuation support.

In an editorial on the 31st, the Asahi Shimbun stated, "It is very regrettable that the JSDF must withdraw, leaving many Afghans who helped Japan behind. The government must take this seriously," and argued, "Related information should be disclosed, and the causes of the failure must be thoroughly examined."

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