By Brad Friedman on 3/16/2011, 1:51pm PT  

With trace amounts of radiation detected in Tokyo as of two days ago, last night, at 9:40pm PT, FRANCE urged its citizens to evacuate Tokyo due to concerns about radiation emanating from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant located approximately 180 miles to the north.

"The French government has urged its nationals living in Tokyo to leave the country or head to southern Japan due to the risk of radiation...The French embassy in Tokyo said in a statement that its advisory applied with immediate effect to those French nationals who were not obliged to remain in the city," says Reuters. France has begun to send jumbo jets to Tokyo to aid in the evacuation.

France is not the only only country to issue such an advisory. These are from Reuters' latest collection of travel warnings, as of 12:42pm PT today...

AUSTRIA: "All Austrians, especially families with children in the greater Tokyo/Yokohama area, are advised to leave the country temporarily or leave the greater Tokyo/Yokohama area," the Foreign Ministry website says.

BANGLADESH: ...has instructed its mission in Tokyo to relocate its citizens to a safer place free from radiation, the government said on Tuesday.

BRITAIN: ...advised its citizens on Wednesday to consider leaving Tokyo and the area north of the capital.

FINLAND: ...said on Tuesday all travel to Japan, especially to Tokyo and northeastern Japan, should be avoided. It urged families with children to consider leaving the area.

GERMANY: "We call on all Germans to leave the region of Tokyo and Yokohama via Osaka," German Foreign Ministry spokesman Andreas Peschke told a regular government briefing Wednesday. ... Tuesday, Germany's Lufthansa began diverting all Tokyo flights to other Japanese cities.

ITALY: The Italian Foreign Ministry has issued a notice advising Italians to leave Japan. Officials are meeting Alitalia to work out plans for extra flights if existing capacity is insufficient.

PORTUGAL: Portugal's Foreign Ministry website said on Wednesday, "given the situation in Japan, all Portuguese citizens without essential reasons to remain in the country are advised to consider the possibility of leaving Japan temporarily or moving to the south of the country, especially families with children and pregnant women."

SERBIA: ...called on all nationals to leave Japan on regular flights.

SWITZERLAND: ...has issued an advisory for Japan and recommends all Swiss nationals should temporarily leave the crisis areas in the northeast of Japan as well as the wider Tokyo/Yokohama area.

TAIWAN: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday that elderly, children and female Taiwanese expatriates should consider leaving Japan due to escalating radiation risks.

PHILIPPINES: The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo told its citizens...concerned about possible radiation exposure "may wish to voluntary relocate to areas further away or depart voluntarily from the country using their own means."

Then, on the other hand, there's the U.S.:

UNITED STATES: The United States on Wednesday recommended its citizens living within 80 km (50 miles) of the Fukushima nuclear power plant evacuate the area or take shelter indoors.

"If we assess that the radiation poses a threat to public health, we will share that information and provide relevant guidance immediately," U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos said.

That advisory is up to date as of approximately 11:10am PT today, (3:00am Thursday local time).

Which country should we listen to?

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Article Categories: Great Britain, Environment, France, State Department, Japan