The Japanese government is said to have offered to bring 20 South Koreans onboard military planes it will send to evacuate its nationals from Israel. 

A South Korean residing in Israel told KBS on Wednesday that they were informed from the embassy about the Japanese government’s notification on the operation of special flights for the evacuation effort. 

The notification states the date of the Japan Self Defense Forces(SDF) planes’ arrival and departure as well as where they will land and that the planes can accommodate 20 South Korean nationals and family members. 

The move is regarded to be a reciprocal measure to a South Korean military plane, which carried 51 Japanese nationals when bringing home 163 South Koreans from Israel last Saturday. 

The foreign ministry said it cannot confirm the report. 

Japan’s NHK reported earlier in the day that the Japanese government is mulling mobilizing SDF transport planes to evacuate Japanese nationals in Israel amid the escalating conflict with Hamas.