Japan said it will temporarily close its embassy in Kyiv as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine escalates, with many civilians desperately fleeing the country. The embassy’s operations will be transferred to a temporary liaison office set up in Lviv in western Ukraine, according to the Foreign Ministry. The office, located near the border with Poland, will continue to provide support to Japanese citizens living in Ukraine, including those trying to evacuate from the country, the ministry said. (https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/03/178c653be0d1-urgent-japan-to-temporarily-close-embassy-in-kyiv.html) The decision to close the embassy on Wednesday was announced after Russia’s military said it would strike Ukrainian communications and intelligence sites in Kyiv, warning residents near them to leave. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started last week, the embassy’s operations have been downscaled. But the Japanese ambassador to Ukraine, Kuninori Matsuda, and a few others have remained in Kyiv. As of Feb. 27, about 120 Japanese nationals were in Ukraine. The Japanese government has called on them to evacuate and secured a chartered plane to transport them from Poland to a third country.