28 Jan 2020 | 09:44 UTC — Tokyo

Japan to evacuate some 200 nationals from Wuhan, watching impact on economy

Japan will send a chartered airplane as the first dispatch on Tuesday evening to the Wuhan airport in China to evacuate some 200 nationals in the wake of the outbreak of the coronavirus, the Japanese foreign minister said Tuesday.

The dispatch of the chartered airplane will come after Beijing has informed Tokyo it is ready to accept the first airplane, and it will return to the Narita Airport in Tokyo on Wednesday morning, Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi said.

While noting there are some 650 nationals willing to return in the Hubei Province in central China, Japan will continue working with the Chinese counterpart to send the rest of the nationals in subsequent chartered airplanes and other means Wednesday onward, Motegi said.

Speaking separately in Tokyo Tuesday, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshi Kajiyama said that METI is closely monitoring any impact on the Japanese economy following the Chinese government's overseas tour travel ban effective Monday. The minister added he is aware of cancellations of tour travels to Japan following the foreign tour ban.

Possible run cuts

China's overseas tour travel ban might put additional pressure on Japanese refiners, which are already considering run cuts in the face of low kerosene demand as a result of warmer-than-usual winter weather.

Some Japanese are also increasingly looking to cut their crude runs amid weakening middle distillates cracking margins despite the International Maritime Organization's global low sulfur marine fuels mandate that took effect in January, according to market sources.

"The deteriorating profitability of middle distillates suggests we should lower crude distillation run rates," a source with a Japanese refiner said last week.

"This means we should adjust it with run cuts, and exports would come as a second choice."

Another trader agreed, saying the "only reason the Japanese are maintaining high run rates is for kerosene. Now they don't need it, they can cut [production]."

Chinese health authorities announced Tuesday 4,515 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the coronavirus outbreak, with 976 patients remaining in critical condition, and 6,973 suspected of being infected with the virus as of the end of Monday, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency. The death toll totaled 106 from the outbreak, according to the Xinhua report.

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Japan will send a chartered airplane as the first dispatch on Tuesday evening to the Wuhan airport in China to evacuate some 200 nationals in the wake of the outbreak of the coronavirus, the Japanese foreign minister said Tuesday.
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The dispatch of the chartered airplane will come after Beijing has informed Tokyo it is ready to accept the first airplane, and it will return to the Narita Airport in Tokyo on Wednesday morning, Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi said.

While noting there are some 650 nationals willing to return in the Hubei Province in central China, Japan will continue working with the Chinese counterpart to send the rest of the nationals in subsequent chartered airplanes and other means Wednesday onward, Motegi said.

Speaking separately in Tokyo Tuesday, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshi Kajiyama said that METI is closely monitoring any impact on the Japanese economy following the Chinese government's overseas tour travel ban effective Monday. The minister added he is aware of cancellations of tour travels to Japan following the foreign tour ban.

Possible run cuts

China's overseas tour travel ban might put additional pressure on Japanese refiners, which are already considering run cuts in the face of low kerosene demand as a result of warmer-than-usual winter weather.

Some Japanese are also increasingly looking to cut their crude runs amid weakening middle distillates cracking margins despite the International Maritime Organization's global low sulfur marine fuels mandate that took effect in January, according to market sources.

"The deteriorating profitability of middle distillates suggests we should lower crude distillation run rates," a source with a Japanese refiner said last week.

"This means we should adjust it with run cuts, and exports would come as a second choice."

Another trader agreed, saying the "only reason the Japanese are maintaining high run rates is for kerosene. Now they don't need it, they can cut [production]."

Chinese health authorities announced Tuesday 4,515 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the coronavirus outbreak, with 976 patients remaining in critical condition, and 6,973 suspected of being infected with the virus as of the end of Monday, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency. The death toll totaled 106 from the outbreak, according to the Xinhua report.