Japan Ready to Help Indonesia Evacuating Its Citizens on Cruise Ship

Jakarta, MINA – Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Masafumi Ishii said on Tuesday, there were four Indonesian Diamond Princes cruisers who infected by the coronavirus or Covid-19.

He described the situation of the spread of the coronavirus in luxury cruise ships changing per minute. Masafumi also ensured Japan was ready to work together if it was to evacuate Indonesian citizens.

The number of Indonesians infected with the coronavirus increased after Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi named three people infected.

“This morning there were two confirmed and there were two others (also infected). So we don’t know whether it is confirmed or not, the current situation continues to change every minute, we should keep abreast of developments,” said Masafumi on the sidelines of the Emperor’s Japan Anniversary Commemoration, in Jakarta, Tuesday night.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in Jakarta on Tuesday that at 14.00 WIB, there were three Indonesian citizens on the cruise ship.

In total there are 78 Indonesian citizens who work as crew members of the cruise which was leaning in Yokohama, Japan.

Retno said the infected Indonesian citizen had been rushed to a hospital in Japan to get treatment by a team of doctors.

“The Indonesian Embassy team has headed to Chiba to ensure that our Indonesian citizens can handle and facilities in Japan,” said Retno.

The Diamond Princess Cruise ship, which has a 3,700 passengers, underwent quarantine at the port of Yokohama after passengers who disembarked in Hong Kong tested positive for corona virus.

Earlier on Tuesday morning, Masafumi and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi held a meeting in Jakarta related to the presence of Indonesian citizens on the cruise ship infected with the coronavirus.

Masafumi assured every authority in Japan to try their best to deal with the epidemic, whatever the nationality of the person. As for the plan to evacuate the crew of Indonesian citizens on the Cruise Ship, Masafumi handed it back to Indonesia.

He only made sure Japan was ready to work together if it was to be evacuated in connection with the spread of the coronavirus, but he also reminded the crew of the Indonesian citizen to have a work contract with the company that employs them so there must be communication with the company.

The quarantine plan will end on February 19. Those who are declared negative after the last inspection may disembark on 21 February. So far, there have been 454 coronavirus sufferers from the ship. (L/R7/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)