Companies move staff from Japan
Foreign firms are evacuating staff from Japan, after fears of radiation leaks at the Fukushima Daiichi plant escalated further.
German car maker BMW and car part maker Continental are among companies moving employees out of the country.
Others, including software group SAP, are moving staff to southern cities within Japan.
Workers have suspended operations at the nuclear plant after a rise in radiation levels.
Radiation levels in Tokyo were higher than normal, officials said, but not at levels dangerous to humans.
The expatriate staff of international banks, including Morgan Stanley, BNP Paribas and Standard Chartered, have reportedly left the capital city.
However, the Japan-based International Bankers Association said that none of its members had ordered its employees to evacuate, and some financial firms were continuing "business as usual".
Move offered
Although predominately staffed by Japanese employees, expatriates typically make up a large part of the management at the Tokyo offices of foreign financial firms.
Companies are moving to ensure the safety of their staff after an explosion and fire broke out at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, about 220km north of the capital.
SAP said it would evacuate offices in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. It said it had offered about 1,100 employees and their families transport and hotel rooms further south.
Private equity firm Blackstone is closing its office in Tokyo and relocating staff as well, according to the Bloomberg news agency.
A spokesperson for chipmaker Infineon said: "We've offered to move staff to the south but only a small amount have decided to go."
BBC News
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