Maltese flee Japan

The Maltese government may not have asked its nationals in Japan to return amid fears of a nuclear disaster but those who spoke to The Times yesterday said they were packing their bags and coming home.

Gordon Pace, who has been in Japan for eight years, decided to return, together with his two children, because he cannot imagine the situation improving, envisaging a disaster and citing distrust in the authorities.

He said that, like him, other Maltese in Japan had decided to return to Malta. Others were moving south, as far away as possible from the stricken Fukushima power plant, located 250 kilo­metres northeast of Tokyo.

A Maltese man resident in Hokkaido, in the far north, was seeking help with evacuation from the government, although it was too early for any intervention.

A crisis has gripped the country after the 8.9-magnitude quake and the monster waves it unleashed last week killed thousands and crippled a power plant, resulting in the world’s worst nuclear incident since Chernobyl in 1986.

Mr Pace said the situation in Tokyo was “pretty much business as usual”. The Japanese were acting calm and going about their work while schools were open and children even played outdoors.

“When you watch the local news, things do not seem to be that serious but when you watch foreign stations, it is a disaster,” he said, insisting the government could not be trusted and had a reputation of not opening up to avoid any panic.

“Many Japanese think that way,” Mr Pace said about the situation on the ground, adding most foreigners had left Tokyo.

Mr Pace’s Japanese wife is staying behind with her parents, who, in turn, want to remain with their own and the plan is for her to fly out if the situation gets worse over the next week.

“I am leaving now because I do not want to wait until the chaos takes over and it becomes hard to travel,” he said, adding that flights have been cancelled. “I did buy a return ticket for three weeks’ time. Now we’ll see... I have a business in Japan and will have to go back eventually.”

He said advice on what action to take is not forthcoming but he decided to pack up and leave anyway.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued a warning “against non-essential travel” to northeast Japan and Tokyo.

It has been in touch with 27 Maltese citizens but has not advised them to leave.

A book of condolence to remember the victims and as an expression of solidarity with the Japanese will be opened at the Consulate-General of Japan at 38, Sir Luigi Preziosi Square in Floriana today and between Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Archbishop Paul Cremona, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech and Vicar General Annetto Depasquale have appealed for prayers.