Japan says infected US citizens won't be taken back on charter flight

U.S. citizens on the Diamond Princess cruise ship who are confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus will not be taken back to the United States on a planned charter flight, a Japanese government official told reporters on Saturday.

Another government official at the same briefing said it was possible other countries would follow the United States and ask to bring back their own citizens aboard the Diamond Princess before the quarantine period ends on Feb. 19.

The United States said earlier on Saturday it would send an aircraft to Japan to bring back U.S. passengers on the Diamond Princess, where the most coronavirus infections outside China have occurred.

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