January 30, 2020

Although the government repatriated more than 400 Japanese who were stranded in Wuhan in central China, epicenter of the deadly new coronavirus, the mission might have never gotten off the ground.

The Japanese government was preparing a rescue plan, but coordination with the Chinese side did not go smoothly, according to officials close to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Reflecting a growing sense of alarm over the fast-spreading virus, authorities in Wuhan imposed travel restrictions in the city with a population of 11 million on Jan. 23, canceling flights leaving the city.

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http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ202001300048.html