Summary: Typhoon Songda is expected to strike the coast of Okinawa and Southern Japan on 28 and 29 May 2011. If you are travelling to or are a resident in the areas of Okinawa or Southern Japan, please monitor the Meteorological Agency of Japan's website.

The FCO has not changed their overall level of advice with regard to Japan. Travellers are still advised against all travel to areas in north-east Japan most directly affected by the March earthquake and tsunami

For FCO contact details and extra information, please see below.

Last Updated: 19 April 2011

Summary: The FCO has revised their previous advice to British nationals. British nationals no longer need to remain outside of an 80km radius of the Fukushima nuclear plant. As a precaution, they do still recommend that a 60km radius be avoided.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has assessed the current situation and have advised that:

• The immediate risk to human health has reduced further
• The British Embassy in Tokyo will no longer need to distribute iodine tablets

British nationals in Japan are advised to please remain updated by the local media in Japan, as well as to monitor the FCO website for advice and any updates.

Read more about the 9 month recovery plan for the Fukushima crisis.

Last Updated: 07 April 2011

Summary: The FCO no longer advises against non-essential travel to Japan. However, they still advise against travelling to areas north-east of Tokyo, where Japan was most affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

Sir John Beddington (Government Chief Scientific Adviser), presented the latest assessment on the situation at the Fukushima nuclear facility which concluded:

There is no serious radiation risk to residents of the Tokyo Metropolitan.

Japanese authorities continue to provide regular updates on developments at Fukushima, including:

• Actions being taken to stabilise the reactor units at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
• Actions to minimise the release of radioactive material into the local environment.

Who to contact for information:

• Call the FCO helpline on 020 7008 0000 from the UK and +44 20 7008 0000 from Japan
• Or follow them on Twitter @fcotravel
• Keep track of the latest Japan travel advice here

Last Updated: 22 March 2011

Summary: The FCO continues to advise against all non-essential travel to Tokyo and the north east of Japan. If you must remain in Japan, please see the FCO's advice on what action you should take if radiation levels increase in any significant way.

Radiation concerns:

Following the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima plant, the FCO has issued the advice below as a precaution. Please note that a significant increase in the radiation levels in areas outside the exclusion zone, including Tokyo, would only occur in a worst case scenario. You can protect yourself from the dangerous radiation levels in the following ways:

Shelter:

• Stay indoors, close all windows, and turn off any ventilation systems that draw in air from the outside

Decontamination:

• If you have to go outside, remember to change your clothes and have a shower when you return
• Wash any dirty clothes as soon as possible to prevent contamination

Stable iodine:

• You can obtain non-radioactive iodine tablets from the British Embassy
• You are advised to take this medication if the UK Government advises you to do so, the Japanese authorities advise you to, or if the Japanese authorities advise you to take shelter
• You will be issued with sufficient stable iodine for two doses - please note that there are detailed dosage instructions and each dose lasts 24 hours
• You can find more information about stable iodine on the Health Protection Agency website

Where to obtain iodine tablets:

British Embassy staff are currently distributing tablets to British nationals and their dependents, with priority being given to children and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Please bring proof of your British citizenship and proof of age of any dependents to the following location: The Grand Arc Hanzomon Hotel, 1-1 Hayabusa Cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0092. This will be taking place between 19-22 March, 14:00-19:00. Please note the distribution room is Nocturn (5F) and the waiting room is Symphony (5F) at the hotel.

Water and food:

• Any food stored inside the home, in shops or other buildings will be safe to consume
• Any packaged foods (either in tins, cartons or bottles including bottled water) will be safe - even if they were carried outside
• Avoid foods that may have been outdoors in the affected areas (i.e. crops in fields or gardens or sold loose in outdoor markets, and also fish and shellfish from the affected area)
• Avoid milk that comes from an affected area (however, imported milk products will be safe)
• Residents of the Fukushima area should not drink the tap water

Last Updated: 18 March 2011

Summary: The FCO still advises against all non-essential travel to Tokyo and the north east of Japan. British nationals in these areas should consider leaving via the options below.

UK charter flights

The FCO urges British nationals to consider commercial flights as their first option for leaving. These are continuing to operate and travellers with commercial flight bookings should continue to use these flights and make arrangements with their airline as usual.

The UK government has organised the following flights departing from Narita Tokyo (NRT) Airport to Hong Kong (HKG) (for those who are unable to arrange a commercial flight):

• Friday, 18 March: Cathay Pacific CX2505 departing 20:55 (local time) from Narita Tokyo (NRT) arriving in Hong Kong (HKG) 01:05 local time on Saturday, 19 March
• Saturday, 19 March: Hong Kong Airlines HX6619 departing 07:00 (local time) from Narita Tokyo Airport, headed to Hong Kong
• Saturday, 19 March: Orient Thai departing 21:00 (local time) - Please note that times for 19 March flights are to be confirmed.
• There will be no charge for British nationals and their immediate families directly affected by the tsunami
• Those who were not directly affected will be charged £600 per adult, £300 for children up to 12 years old, while children under 2 can travel free

To register interest in these flights please call 020 7008 6900. Details of departure times will then be confirmed shortly, as well as confirmation of spaces on these flights. Please note that the FCO does not plan to operate any more flights after Sunday, 20 March.

British Embassy coaches from Sendai to Tokyo

• Friday, 18 March: Two coaches are departing from the UK's Consular Response Centre in Sendai at the ANA Holiday Inn, 1-4-1 Shintera Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, 984-0051 Japan at 12:00 (midday)
• Saturday, 19 March: Another two coaches are departing from the UK's Consular Response Centre in Sendai, again at 12:00 (midday)
• If you wish to travel on these buses, you can register by calling the British Embassy in Tokyo on +81 35 211 1356 if calling from the UK, or on 035 211 1356 if you are in Japan; Relatives or friends may also register on your behalf
• You may also call the emergency hotline in London on 020 7008 0000 or email japan.earthquake@fco.gov.uk

Important information: Those travelling should bring identification that enables embassy staff to confirm their names and nationality. There is also a baggage limit of one piece per person. Please note that the FCO does not plan to operate any more coaches after Saturday, 19 March.

Japan remembers the catastrophe one week on:

Today, the people of Japan stood for a minute of silence to mark the moment, one week ago, when a magnitude 9 earthquake struck the country.

In the meantime, Japanese authorities have raised the severity rating of its nuclear disaster at the Fukushima site from 4 to 5 on a 7-point international nuclear event scale.

More than 200,000 people have already been evacuated within a 20km radius of the reactor site, due to the risk of radiation poisoning coming from the Fukushima plant. Many are now in makeshift shelters with inadequate supplies.

Japan Tsunami - Advice and Information For British Nationals

Last Updated: 17 March 2011

UK Charter Flights

Summary: On Thursday 17 March, the UK government is chartering flights from Tokyo to Hong Kong to supplement commercially available options for those wishing to leave Japan.

For Those Wishing To Use This Service

• Leave your details by calling +44 20 7008 6900 to be contacted with information and confirmation of flight and departure details. Please note you may be contacted at inconvenient times.
• For those British nationals and their immediate families directly affected by the tsunami there will be no charge.
• Those not directly affected will incur a charge of £600 per person.

You're first option for leaving Japan should remain via commercial routes as commercial flights continue to operate to and from Japan. Continue to make arrangements with your airline as usual if possible.

Coach Service

On Thursday 17 March, the British Embassy will also operate a coach service from Sendai to Tokyo. There will be no charge for this service.

What to do if you need this service

If you wish to travel on this bus, please register by calling the consular team at the British Embassy in Tokyo on (+81) 80 3250 2924 or (+81) 35 211 1356 from the UK, or 080 3250 2924 or 035 211 1356 from Japan.

Relatives or friends may also register you on your behalf. If you have difficulties, please call the emergency hotline in London on 020 7008 0000 or email japan.earthquake@fco.gov.uk.

More details on the coach service

• The coach will depart from the UK's Consular Response Centre in Sendai at the ANA Holiday Inn, 1-4-1 Shintera Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai, Miyagi prefecture at 12:00 (midday) on 17 March
• Those travelling should bring identification that allows embassy staff to confirm their names and nationality
• Baggage is limited to one piece of luggage per person

Please see more travel advice for Japan below.

Last Updated: 16 March 2011

Summary: The FCO continues to advise against all non-essential travel to Tokyo and north eastern Japan. Please see the advice below in light of the tsunami aftermath and the subsequent nuclear situation.

Advice for affected travellers in Japan:

• Look out for gas leaks, broken glass and other hazards if you are in an affected area
• Open doors and/ or windows to avoid being trapped, should an aftershock occur
• Contact the FCO if you require assistance or to report that you are safe on 020 7008 0000 from the UK or +44 20 7008 0000 from Japan
• Observe the advice from Japanese authorities regarding the nuclear situation, including the 20km exclusion zone around the Fukushima facility; also stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed, and don't use ventilation if you are between 20km and 30km from the facility
• Check the status of your flight before you head to the airport as some airlines are currently diverting their Tokyo-bound flights to alternative destinations

Information on assisted transfers:

The FCO is currently exploring options for an assisted transfer for British nationals from the affected north eastern region to Tokyo:

• You are urged to call the FCO on 020 7008 0000 from the UK or +44 20 7008 0000 from Japan, so they can gauge the level of interest
• To express interest you may also e-mail the FCO at japan.earthquake@fco.gov.uk or contact them via the following Skype ID: (text not call) "fcojapan" (Please include details about the number of people in your party, your whereabouts and your contact details)

Please note:

The British Embassy has established a Consular Response Centre in Sendai at the ANA Holiday Inn (located at 1-4-1 Shintera Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, 984-0051, Japan). If calling from the UK, you can reach the Holiday Inn on +81 22 256 5111 or on 022 256 5111 from Japan.

Please keep checking in with the FCO to read their latest Japan Travel Advice.

Japan's nuclear disaster:

The news of a series of explosions at a nuclear plant in Japan came as another blow, following the earthquake and tsunami that struck the region last week.

The Fukushima plant, located in the town of Okuma in the Futaba District of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, has experienced its third explosion, signalling a nuclear crisis for the country. Engineers are struggling to gain control of the plant following the latest explosion and a dangerous fire that caused radiation to rise to harmful levels.

The Japanese government has ordered any dwellers within the 12-mile (20km) exclusion zone to evacuate their homes immediately, and has instructed those between 12 - 19 miles away to stay indoors, while imposing a 19-mile no-fly zone.

Last Updated: 14 March 2011

Summary: Following the devastating tsunami triggered by the earthquake on Friday 11 March, the FCO advises against all non-essential travel to Tokyo and the North East of Japan. Please refer to the Foreign Office's advice below.

Please also see our Travel Insurance Advice pertaining to the Japanese earthquake here.

Practical advice for British nationals in Japan:

• Stay away from low-lying coastal areas as these remain the worst affected
• Be aware of widespread disruption to transport, power, and water supplies and temporary shortages of supplies to shops
• Check your immediate surroundings for fire, gas leaks, broken glass and other hazards
• In light of the possibility of an aftershock, open doors and/ or windows to avoid being trapped indoors
• Monitor local TV and radio for evacuation information - radio stations in the Tokyo area with emergency information in English include the US Armed Forces station at 810AM and InterFM (76.1FM)
• Obtain further information about the earthquake and tsunami from the US Geological Survey and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre
• Check the regular tsunami threat update on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website
• Find further advice at the British Embassy in Tokyo or the British Consulate-General in Osaka

Who to contact:

• Call the FCO helpline in the UK if you require assistance or wish to report that you are safe on +44 20 7008 0000 or email them at japan.earthquake@fco.gov.uk
• Also contact family and friends in the UK to confirm your well-being - where telephone services are unavailable, try text message or other social media such as Twitter or Facebook
• Contact your airline to check flight times
• Register with the FCO's LOCATE service, or ask a family member in the UK to do so for you - this will help the FCO to find you in an emergency

Affected airports:

The following airports are currently closed:

• Sendai Airport
• Sado Airport
• Iwate-Hanamaki Airport

The following airports are currently open:

• NRT/Tokyo Narita Airport (some flight disruptions)
• HND/Tokyo Haneda Airport (flights are subject to cancellation)
• UKB/Kobe Airport
• KIX/Osaka Airport
• KIJ/Niigata Airport

The following airports are currently partially open:

• Amori Airport
• Akita Airport
• Misawa Airport
• Yamagata Airport
• Shonai Airport
• Odate Airport
• Noshino Airport
• Fuksushima Airport

Affected transport systems:

Operating at full service:

• The bullet trains and Tokyo monorail (excluding the metro)

Not operating/ running with severe delays:

• Japan Rail trains from Tokyo station
• Narita Express services are currently not running at all

Electricity cuts:

Approximately 3 million people stand to be affected by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)'s rotating power cuts. Electricity will be cut off from 06:20 on 14 March and will affect the following areas:

• Tochigi
• Gunma
• Ibaraki
• Saitama
• Chiba
• Kanagawa
• Shizuoka
• Yamanashi

Unfortunately, the pattern of power cuts will be very difficult to predict. Tokyo is also affected, except for the 23 wards constituting central Tokyo, where no power cuts are expected until at least 15 March.

Please note that mobile and landline telephone reception will be intermittent in these affected areas.

Japan's largest earthquake:

The 11 March earthquake struck at 14:46 (05:46 GMT) approximately 250 miles (400km) from Tokyo and measured 9.0 on the Richter Scale. According to news reports, this is the largest earthquake to hit Japan in recorded history. Analysts report that the powerful earthquake moved Japan's main island eight feet, and shifted the Earth on its axis four inches, causing the devastating tsunami that followed.

The immense body of water has left destruction in its path, leaving entire buildings, vehicles and infrastructure destroyed. Vast regions across Japan have either been severely flooded, swept away or reduced to ruin.

A British Search and Rescue Team has been deployed to Japan to bolster the international relief effort. It includes 63 UK fire service search and rescue specialists, two rescue dogs and a medical support team.

The FCO will continue to warn travellers against all non-essential travel to Tokyo and the north east of Japan while the damage is assessed, and until experts are certain that there is no continued risk of further tsunamis or aftershocks.