Japan: Fijian numbers not known
AN accurate number of Fijians living in Japan may not be known until the Fiji embassy in Tokyo is given clearance for staff to enter their office, reports said.
More than 10,000 people are now feared dead the in the aftermath of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake which devastated Japan on Friday, also leaving millions homeless and without food and water.
Adding to the catastrophe was the fact that higher than normal levels of radiation have been detected in Tokyo following meltdowns at three nuclear reactors at a power plant. A fourth reactor was also on the verge of collapse.
Fiji’s Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Solo Mara said yesterday they were trying to contact all Fiji nationals listed with the embassy in Tokyo.
"We have obtained a list of Japanese government-sponsored Fiji students from the Japanese Embassy here and have conveyed the same to our officials on the ground in Tokyo to contact those in the affected area on the Pacific coast," Mr Mara told the Fiji Times.
The Fiji mission was evacuated following the earthquake and tsunami at the weekend and staff awaited clearance to enter the complex again, Mr Mara said.
He made a personal plea for those with family members in Japan to furnish the Ministry of Foreign Affairs their contact details.
This he said would allow officials the opportunity to make contact with them and check on their safety.
"Our phone numbers are 3309645, 3239646 and 3239605," Mr Mara said.
Earlier this week, Fiji's Ambassador to Japan Isikeli Mataitoga said there were 120 registered Fijians living in Japan.
Meanwhile, Mr Mara said the aftershocks felt in Japan yesterday measured as much as six on the Richter scale. In another development, Tokyo resident Ilisapeci Yoshina said they were bracing for what they believed was another earthquake.
"We are expecting another earthquake in two days. How strong it's going to be only God knows.
"We heard over the news there will be another earthquake in two days," Ms Yoshina said. She said there was concern over reported leakage at a nuclear plant.
She said in their effort to keep in touch with Fijians in Japan, they were circulating an email from the Fiji embassy Tokyo.
She said most Fijians in Japan did not own a landline but used texts, the email, chat facilities, or skyped each other because landline phone connections were unstable.
"So far we haven't heard of Fijians injured or killed," Ms Yoshina said.
According to a release by the Ministry of Information last night, as at 10am on Sunday, the following people were reported safe: Niigata: Arnold Kumar; Fukushima: Nilesh Anand; Saitama: Emosi Tuqota; Akita: Setareki Tawake also confirmed the safety of four other rugby players; Fukuoka: Dr Don Wilson and family; Tokyo: All Fiji nationals with email/phone contact have been contacted and they are all safe.
** More than 800 New Zealanders have reported safe with New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo. A 70-strong New Zealand USAR team is now in Japan helping in the search and rescue operations.
- IW Online / Fiji Times
AN accurate number of Fijians living in Japan may not be known until the Fiji embassy in Tokyo is given clearance for staff to enter their office, reports said. More than 10,000 people are now feared dead the in the aftermath of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake which devastated Japan on Friday, also...
AN accurate number of Fijians living in Japan may not be known until the Fiji embassy in Tokyo is given clearance for staff to enter their office, reports said.
More than 10,000 people are now feared dead the in the aftermath of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake which devastated Japan on Friday, also leaving millions homeless and without food and water.
Adding to the catastrophe was the fact that higher than normal levels of radiation have been detected in Tokyo following meltdowns at three nuclear reactors at a power plant. A fourth reactor was also on the verge of collapse.
Fiji’s Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Solo Mara said yesterday they were trying to contact all Fiji nationals listed with the embassy in Tokyo.
"We have obtained a list of Japanese government-sponsored Fiji students from the Japanese Embassy here and have conveyed the same to our officials on the ground in Tokyo to contact those in the affected area on the Pacific coast," Mr Mara told the Fiji Times.
The Fiji mission was evacuated following the earthquake and tsunami at the weekend and staff awaited clearance to enter the complex again, Mr Mara said.
He made a personal plea for those with family members in Japan to furnish the Ministry of Foreign Affairs their contact details.
This he said would allow officials the opportunity to make contact with them and check on their safety.
"Our phone numbers are 3309645, 3239646 and 3239605," Mr Mara said.
Earlier this week, Fiji's Ambassador to Japan Isikeli Mataitoga said there were 120 registered Fijians living in Japan.
Meanwhile, Mr Mara said the aftershocks felt in Japan yesterday measured as much as six on the Richter scale. In another development, Tokyo resident Ilisapeci Yoshina said they were bracing for what they believed was another earthquake.
"We are expecting another earthquake in two days. How strong it's going to be only God knows.
"We heard over the news there will be another earthquake in two days," Ms Yoshina said. She said there was concern over reported leakage at a nuclear plant.
She said in their effort to keep in touch with Fijians in Japan, they were circulating an email from the Fiji embassy Tokyo.
She said most Fijians in Japan did not own a landline but used texts, the email, chat facilities, or skyped each other because landline phone connections were unstable.
"So far we haven't heard of Fijians injured or killed," Ms Yoshina said.
According to a release by the Ministry of Information last night, as at 10am on Sunday, the following people were reported safe: Niigata: Arnold Kumar; Fukushima: Nilesh Anand; Saitama: Emosi Tuqota; Akita: Setareki Tawake also confirmed the safety of four other rugby players; Fukuoka: Dr Don Wilson and family; Tokyo: All Fiji nationals with email/phone contact have been contacted and they are all safe.
** More than 800 New Zealanders have reported safe with New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo. A 70-strong New Zealand USAR team is now in Japan helping in the search and rescue operations.
- IW Online / Fiji Times
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