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In light of the continuing development of the Fukushima nuclear incident, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government advises Hong Kong residents staying in Japan to pay close attention to relevant advice and announcements issued by the local authorities.
Since the catastrophic earthquake, tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear incident, the HKSAR Government has handled over 7,100 enquiries and close to 2,000 assistance requests. To date, all of the enquiries and the vast majority of the assistance requests have been settled satisfactorily. The Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the Immigration Department (ImmD) will continue to follow up earnestly on any outstanding requests.
After mounting four additional flights from March 18 to March 20, requests for assistance from Hong Kong residents on return flight have substantially declined. Only four persons have registered with the HKSAR Government to board the additional flight departing the Narita Airport at 9.50pm tonight. The HKSAR Government has no plan to continue to arrange additional flight effective from March 21, the helpdesk at Keio Plaza Hotel (Shinjuku, Tokyo) will cease to operate with effect from the same date.
Hong Kong residents who decide to stay in Tokyo are advised to register their telephone numbers, email addresses and local addresses with the ImmD via: 1868@immd.gov.hk in order that the HKSAR Government would be able to contact them in case of need.
Security Bureau will continue to closely monitor the situation and issue updates through the media and the Outbound Travel Alert webpage (www.sb.gov.hk/eng/ota).
Residents outside Hong Kong who need assistance may call the 24-hour hotline of the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the Immigration Department at (852) 1868. The Chinese Embassy in Japan has set up a hotline (81-3-34033064) to render assistance to Chinese citizens including Hong Kong residents.
Ends/Sunday, March 20, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:29
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