The Government's Black Outbound Travel Alert for Japan's Fukushima Prefecture has been extended to Miyagi, Ibaraki, and Iwate Prefectures due to the nuclear crisis in the country. The Red Outbound Travel Alert is being maintained for the rest of Japan.
Under Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok told reporters today the Chief Executive has chaired an emergency meeting with nuclear experts. He advised people not to visit the affected prefectures, reminding Hong Kong residents in Japan to stay calm, monitor local government announcements and watch their personal safety.
Tour groups
All Hong Kong trips to Japan for the month have been cancelled. There are 11 Hong Kong tour groups comprising 257 members on Japan's main island of Honshu. They will return to Hong Kong by March 18. It is estimated 800 Hong Kong people are travelling alone on Honshu and will return soon.
About 660 Hong Kong people have joined tour groups and are travelling in other parts of the country. It is estimated 12 groups are now in Okinawa, five on Kyushu and nine on Hokkaido. They will also return soon.
The Chinese Embassy in Japan and the Consulate General in Niigata are organising a voluntary evacuation to help Chinese citizens, including Hong Kong people, leave the four black-alert prefectures. Hong Kong residents can join the evacuation on a voluntary-basis.
Direct flight services between Hong Kong and airports in many Japanese cities have resumed and Hong Kong people can book seats through airline companies. Immigration officers have joined staff of the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Tokyo to set up special counters at Haneda and Narita Airports to help Hong Kong people.
Assistance requests
By 5pm today the department had received 4,689 enquiries and 1,018 requests for help. More than 450 calls regarded people who had lost contact with their families and another 163 people asked for information.
Officers have made contact with most of the people who lost contact with their families and are still trying to contact the remaining 32 people. The Immigration Department has passed the information to the Chinese Embassy in Japan.
Four hundred and two people requested an early return to Hong Kong. Arrangements have been made for most cases and officers are now following up on the remaining 54 cases.
The department will continue its 24-hour hotline service (852) 1868, and will work closely with the trade office and Chinese embassy.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Food Safety has stepped up its radiation surveillance of fresh produce from Japan. By 5pm today 34 batches of food, including seafood, vegetables and meat, had been tested and no abnormality has been detected.
Chief Secretary Henry Tang today called Japan's Consul-General in Hong Kong to express condolences to the country, saying Hong Kong will help with the rescue work.
