Distance is of little comfort to people in Tokyo who are worried about the harmful radiation emitted by the Fukushima nuclear plant explosions some 250 kilometres to the north, according to Daniel Cini who works in the Japanese capital.

“It’s the power plant right now that is everyone’s major concern. Many of the people I know have evacuated their houses,” Mr Cini said.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry yesterday issued a travel warning advising people “against all non-essential travel” to northeast Japan and Tokyo following last Friday’s massive earthquake that led to a destructive tsunami. As aftershocks continued the shake the country, there was a fourth explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant yesterday.

The Maltese authorities have not yet told the 27 Maltese in Japan to leave the country although a ministry spokesman said some were returning.

The spokesman confirmed no Maltese was in dangerous areas.

Mr Cini, who lives in Tokyo, will be leaving Japan for good next week according to his plans. After experiencing Friday’s quake, from his office on the 31st floor, he gets the jitters every time there is an aftershock.

“The building starting swinging back and forth, not unlike the Gozo Channel ferry in choppy waters... Suffice to say those were the longest two minutes of my life,” he said.

Advice on whether people in Tokyo should stay or leave is “patchy at best”, he said.

While the French Embassy advised its nationals to leave the region, other embassies, including Malta, did not.

“It’s difficult to take a rational decision right now. So far, I will maintain a stiff upper lip and carry on even if my hair is more likely a bit whiter than it was before.

“I will admit that with every decision I take I think of the consequences to my friends and family back home,” he said.