The land ministry is considering a plan to evacuate foreign people to Haneda airport by boat if a major earthquake cripples transportation in central Tokyo, a ministry official said.

Foreign residents and tourists in the metropolitan area would be evacuated on rivers to nearby wharves and taken to the airport in Ota Ward if all other means of transportation come to a standstill from the quake. Japanese visitors from outside Tokyo are also included in the plan.

The plan was proposed as an alternative way to access Haneda during a transportation breakdown.