Japan and US make plans to evacuate citizens from Wuhan

Hong Kong Disneyland closes over coronavirus fears as death toll rises

Health workers in protective suits check the condition of a passenger on an airplane that just landed in Shanghai. © Reuters

TAKESHI KIHARA and YUSHO CHO, Nikkei staff writers

January 26, 2020 17:15 JST

Updated on January 26, 2020 23:53 JST

TOKYO/HONG KONG/SHANGHAI -- Tokyo and Washington are making plans to evacuate Japanese and American citizens from Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak that has claimed more than 50 lives, while Honda Motor said Sunday it was evacuating about 30 employees and family members out of the area back to Japan.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Sunday that after his government finishes talks with Chinese authorities, it will bring back "all [Japanese citizens] that wish to return, and is looking at all possible means, such as chartered flights."