About a hundred Indonesians have already been reported taking shelter in Tokyo and more groups of evacuees are expected to arrive in the coming days to be flown home, said the President here Monday.
"I am continuously communicating with all ministers and the ambassador in Tokyo to monitor the provision of assistance for disaster-affected Indonesian citizens in Japan, and I want us to collect the details of the condition of every Indonesian citizen there," he said.
On the day the magnitude-9 earthquake struck followed by a major tsunami in Miyagi prefecture, the president had sent his condolences and sympathy on behalf of the Republic of Indonesia to the Japanese government and people.
"We are also concerned about what the Japanese people and government are going through, because we had the same experience in 2004," he said.
Although the Japan government had yet to give an answer on what kind of assistance it needed, Indonesia had already sent a disaster relief contingent consisting of evacuation and medical teams with the necessary equipment and logistics to Japan.
"Within the last three days communication with the Japanese government has yet to provide clear explanation on what Indonesia can help or any other urgent needs, but I decided to send a relief team yesterday as other countries have also sent their disaster assisting teams," the president said. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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