France flying citizens home from Japan

France is bringing home its citizens from Japan on government planes and is sending 100 tons of boric acid to help stem radiation leaks from a damaged nuclear plant.

The French Foreign Ministry said it “strongly advises against trips to Japan” and urges French citizens in the Tokyo region to head south or return to France.

In Washington, the State Department warned US citizens to consider leaving the country, and offered voluntary evacuation to family members and dependants of US personnel in the cities of Tokyo, Yokohama and Nagoya.

Chartered planes also would be brought in to help private American citizens who wished to leave.

France’s nuclear manufacturer Areva and utility EDF sent a plane today with 100 tons of boric acid, 10,000 protective uniforms, 20,000 pairs of gloves and 3,000 protective masks.

France is a leading nuclear energy producer and has pledged to help Japanese authorities deal with the crisis at the Fukushima plant.

Two French government planes are bringing home French people who want to leave Japan. One left Tokyo for Seoul, with 241 people aboard.

Meanwhile two Czech military planes landed in Prague after evacuating 106 people from Japan, mostly Czechs.

Also onboard were 41 members of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra that had been touring Japan.

Some countries were more measured in their reactions.

“If you are in the larger Tokyo area, we urge you to consider to move away, southward or out. This is completely up to you,” Denmark’s Ambassador Franz-Michael Skjold Mellbin said in a live webcast from the Danish Embassy in Tokyo.

“The worst thing may actually be to join the panic situation and get outside, get stuck for three days outside Tokyo en route south and be exposed to unnecessary high levels of radiation.”

Italy is considering a special evacuation flight for Italians in special need, such as pregnant women, families with young children, those who might be ill or who just could not afford commercial flights.

Switzerland is also considering charter flights if needed.

The Swedish government is working on a plan to help its citizens leave Japan.