Akhir 12, 1432 H/March 17, 2011, SPA -- Germany's embassy in Japan Thursday moved its operations from Tokyo to the southern city of Osaka in light of the ongoing nuclear crisis in northern Japan, dpa reported. Tokyo is viewed as too close to the Fukushima nuclear plant, where fears of a meltdown are growing. But Osaka, 600 kilometres to the south, is considered relatively safe. The move does not mean an end to German diplomatic representation in Japan, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said. The announcement comes a day after Germany advised its citizens to avoid travel in northern Japan and to put off any unnecessary trips to the country. Before the earthquake, about 3,500 Germans were believed to live in the affected region. Reports say the number has now dwindled to about 1,000.
