Tokyo: Two Japanese Air Self-Defense Force transport aircraft departed Japan for Djibouti on Saturday, in preparation to evacuate Japanese nationals from Israel and Iran. The C-2 aircraft took off from the Air Self-Defense Force's Miho base in the Tottori prefecture, aiming for the East African nation where the Self-Defense Forces have an established base.

According to Philippines News Agency, the deployment was initiated following a request by Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya. Defense Minister Gen Nakatani subsequently ordered the Self-Defense Forces to ready themselves for the potential evacuation of Japanese nationals, prompted by the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran. This mission marks the first transportation operation using Self-Defense Forces aircraft since a similar mission in Lebanon last October.

On Friday, the Foreign Ministry announced that 87 Japanese nationals and their family members residing in Israel and Iran had already been evacuated to neighboring countries via buses chartered by the Japanese government. Despite these efforts, approximately 1,000 Japanese nationals are believed to still be in Israel, and around 220 in Iran. The Japanese government is planning a second evacuation by bus in Iran, anticipated to commence as early as Saturday.