Takaichi Thanks Korea: Japanese Prime Minister Expresses Public Gratitude for Evacuation Assistance
by Seo Jiyeong
Published 16 Mar.2026 09:14(KST)
Updated 16 Mar.2026 13:29(KST)
Expressing Gratitude to Korea for Transporting Japanese Nationals from Saudi Arabia
2024 Korea-Japan Government Memorandum of Understanding Signed
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed her sincere gratitude to the Korean government and Korean military officials after Japanese nationals stranded in the Middle East were evacuated on a Korean military transport aircraft amid escalating tensions in the region.
On the 15th, Prime Minister Takaichi posted on X (formerly Twitter), "A short while ago, a Korean military transport aircraft carrying Japanese nationals departed from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and has arrived in Seoul."
On that day, a Republic of Korea Air Force KC-330 'Cygnus' multi-purpose aerial refueling transport aircraft, carrying Koreans and others, landed at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam at around 5:59 p.m. Of the evacuees, 204 were Korean nationals, along with five foreign family members and two Japanese nationals.
According to diplomatic authorities, the two Japanese nationals boarded the Cygnus following consultations between the South Korean and Japanese embassies in Saudi Arabia. This measure was taken under the "Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Cooperation for the Protection of Overseas Nationals in Third Countries" between the two countries. In September 2024, the governments of South Korea and Japan signed this MOU, agreeing to cooperate in protecting their overseas nationals in the event of a crisis in a third country.
In line with this, on the 11th, the Japanese government allowed Korean nationals to board a charter flight from Riyadh to Narita Airport in Japan. At that time, the Korean government stated, "This operation was carried out based on close communication between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and the embassies of both countries."
Prime Minister Takaichi also explained, "Not long ago, a total of 16 people, including Koreans and foreign family members, boarded a charter flight arranged by the Japanese government. I would like to once again express my deep gratitude to the officials of both countries."
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