Japan Raises Travel Advisory for Saudi Arabia and Calls for Avoiding Non-Essential Trips
Japan raised its travel advisory for several Saudi regions to Level 2 and urged citizens to avoid non-essential trips following the Riyadh airport attack, which left 12 dead and 300 injured.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan raised the travel advisory level for several Saudi regions to Level 2 and called on its citizens to avoid non-essential travel there, according to Arab News Japan.
The upgrade included the Northern Borders, Al-Jouf, Tabuk, Hail, Al-Qassim, Madinah, Makkah, and Al-Baha regions, while Jazan, Asir, and Najran remained at Level 3.
The ministry attributed the change to escalating security threats, stating that the attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10 resulted in 12 deaths and more than 300 injuries.
The Japanese decision comes after Australia, represented by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, raised its rating for Saudi Arabia on October 14 to a level urging people to "reconsider the need to travel."
What do these terms mean?
Travel Advisory Level: A rating issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to clarify the risk level in a country or region, ranging from a standard advisory to an explicit recommendation to avoid travel.
Non-essential trips: Travel for non-urgent purposes such as tourism or routine visits, as opposed to essential travel for humanitarian reasons or urgent business.
Security Rating: A periodic assessment of security risks in a country, updated when events occur that affect the safety of visitors and residents.
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