About 5000 Japanese Expats stay back in India to fight against COVID-19, support Indian Government
Almost 50% of the total 11,000 Japanese expats staying in India, mostly the elderly, students, trainees, tourists, women, and children, would leave the country by April 14 using chartered flights.
NEW DELHI. About 5000 Japanese nationals, who would be staying back in India during the lockdown period as almost the same number are flying out to their country, have vowed to fight the Coronavirus devil together with Indian people.
These Japanese, mostly the key professionals like management bosses and technocrats, would not only wait for the lockdown period to end in India and resume businesses after lockdown is lifted but also support the Indian government and people by producing personal protection equipment (PPE) to effectively fight the deadly virus.
The Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in India (JCCII) who jointly conducted the nation-wide survey for the Japanese community amidst a rising number of COVID-19 positive cases here, said those flying out are mostly the elderlies, students, trainees, tourists, women, and children.
Almost 50% of the total 11,000 Japanese expats staying in India would leave the country by April 14 using the specially operated chartered flights from various airports in India to Tokyo.
“Those Japanese nationals who would be staying back in India are the key professionals for taking care of businesses when these activities resume after the lockdown period. Till then, they would support the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’ call to fight COVID-19 and other initiatives like Stay Home, “ Kenji Sugino, Secretary-General, JCCII told Asian Community News (ACN) Network over the phone.
Sugino said he like many other Japanese nationals in India also lighted candles on April 5 at 9.00 pm for nine minutes while staying at home in New Delhi to extend support to the call given by Modi.
“We are looking for some Japanese companies in the textile sector for producing PPEs like facemasks, wind-sheeters and other products for doctors, nurses and other paramedics,” said JCCII Secretary-General.
Kenji Sugino and JETRO Chief Director General Yasuyuki Murahashi are working closely on the project.
About 4000 Japanese nationals, mostly elderlies, women and children staying in New Delhi and NCR towns have flown back to their country of origin using the specially operated chartered flights from IGI Airport in the last two weeks between March 24 and April 8.
“Next week about 2000 more Japanese nationals would be flying out of India from airports in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai using nine chartered flights by JAL on April 12, 13 and 14. Each city would have three flights each for evacuating Japanese staying in Ahmedabad, Baroda, Surat, Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and surrounding South Indian cities,” said Sugino.
The Indian aviation authorities have made it clear that after this there no international will be allowed to be operated for Japan or any other destination till May 31.
Embassy of Japan in New Delhi and Japanese Consulate General offices in other parts of India had issued special passes for the Japanese nationals for smooth and hindrance-free travel from their homes to airports for boarding flights during the lockdown period when private and public transportation is banned.
