Japan must protect those who helped it in Afghanistan

Humanitarianism not only reason Japan must evacuate local staff and families

20210910 Japanese in Afghanistan evacuation

A C-2 transport aircraft returns to Japan after the evacuation of Japanese nationals in Afghanistan on Sept. 3. (Photo by Konosuke Urata)

HIROYUKI AKITA, Nikkei commentator

September 12, 2021 10:00 JST

TOKYO -- Japan dispatched Self-Defense Force aircraft to Kabul on Aug. 26 to evacuate local staff and others from Afghanistan after the country fell to the Taliban. The plan to bring evacuees to the airport aboard buses fell through due to suicide bomb attacks just before their departure.