A growing number of countries are urging their nationals in Japan to evacuate amid concerns that Japan could be on the verge of a nuclear disaster.

The United States, Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, China, India and Kyrgyzstan have begun evacuating their nationals from Japan using chartered planes, while Russia plans to begin withdrawing the families of its diplomats from Japan on Friday.

Washington has devised measures to allow the families of U.S. forces in Japan and American civilians working for the U.S. forces there to leave the Asian country if they wish to do so and plans to use Air Force transport planes for the evacuation.

Britain has urged its nationals living in the quake-hit regions including Tokyo, which is 273 kilometers away from the Fukushima nuclear plant, to leave the areas. Britain plans to use chartered planes to evacuate its nationals.

Meanwhile, Germany said it will temporarily move the German Embassy in Japan from Tokyo to Osaka.