TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan has no plans to repatriate its nationals from Myanmar, a foreign ministry official said on Monday, after Myanmar’s military arrested leader Aung San Suu Kyi, while the Japanese embassy in the country called on citizens to stay indoors.
Myanmar’s army declared a state of emergency on Monday as it said it carried out detentions of senior government leaders in response to fraud during last year’s general election.
There are an estimated 3,500 Japanese in Myanmar, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, Tokyo had been advising citizens to put off travel there, said the official, who asked to remain unidentified, adding there are no current plans to change that advisory.
The Japanese embassy in Myanmar, in a message posted on the Foreign Ministry’s website, said while the situation in the country at this point did not appear to be one that would involve ordinary people, people should exercise caution.
“We encourage people to stay inside and refrain from going out unless absolutely essential,” it added.
(Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
