Government Considers Domestic Transfer of Koreans on Japanese Cruise Ship... US Decides to Evacuate Nationals via Charter Flight

Number of COVID-19 Cases on Cruise Ship Rises to 285
US Deploys Two Charter Flights to Evacuate 380 Citizens and Families
South Korean Government and Korean Residents in Japan Provide Supplies to Korean Passengers

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has caused a cluster outbreak, it has been confirmed that the government is considering a plan to transfer Koreans aboard the cruise ship 'Diamond Princess,' which is docked at Yokohama Port in Japan, back to Korea.

According to related ministries on the 15th, the government is reportedly reviewing a plan to transfer 14 Koreans aboard the Diamond Princess to Korea. Until the 12th, the government stated that Japan's quarantine procedures were being carried out and that since only a small number of Koreans with ties to Korea were aboard, no separate plan to transfer them domestically was being considered; however, it appears the policy was changed within two days.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "There is no concrete plan yet," adding, "The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Japan and the Consulate General in Yokohama will continue to maintain regular contact and provide consular assistance such as convenience services." There are no suspected symptomatic cases among the Koreans aboard the cruise ship.

Accordingly, the Korean Embassy in Japan and the Yokohama Consulate General are confirming the intention to return home among Koreans aboard the Diamond Princess. It is also known that they have requested cooperation from Japanese authorities regarding air transport. Currently, there are 14 Koreans aboard this cruise ship, including 9 passengers and 5 crew members. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among the 9 passengers, 8 and 3 Korean crew members are mainly living in Japan.

On the Diamond Princess, which carries a total of 3,700 passengers and crew, the number of COVID-19 infected patients continues to increase. Additional infections were confirmed on this day, raising the total number of infected to 285. Infected patients are immediately transferred to hospitals upon confirmation.

The United States, with about 380 nationals aboard the cruise ship, plans to use two chartered planes to transfer them as early as the 16th. According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Henry Walke, director at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stated that a plane will be sent to pick up about 380 Americans and their families aboard the cruise ship, and they are expected to arrive in the U.S. as early as the 16th.

There is speculation that the United States, Japan's closest ally, made this decision because it no longer trusts Japan's quarantine system. The Israeli government is also reported to have requested the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately disembark 15 of its nationals and move them to another location.

Meanwhile, on this day, daily necessities prepared by the Korean government and Korean residents in Japan were delivered to the 14 Korean passengers aboard. This is the second time that supplies prepared by the government have been provided to Korean passengers since the Diamond Princess docked at Yokohama Port and began quarantine on the 3rd, and the first time that daily necessities prepared by Korean residents in Japan have been delivered.