The Foreign Ministry is advising Japanese citizens in the Middle East to use Qatar Airways to return home amid the new coronavirus epidemic.

While the number of international flights to and from Japan has been reduced sizably due to airport shutdowns and other reasons in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the airline continues offering direct flights between the Qatari capital of Doha and Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo.

The Qatari carrier is also operating charter flights to help Japanese nationals in Jordan and other Middle East countries, and East Africa return home.

Qatar Airways is now a "lifeline" for Japanese expatriates, a senior official of the ministry said.

In their telephone talks on Monday, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, that Qatar Airways' operations are very important for the return home of Japanese nationals living abroad, asking for the continuation of direct flight services between the two countries by the airline.