Japan raises alert for parts of Saudi Arabia, discouraging nonessential travel

The Foreign Ministry has raised its travel alert for northern and western parts of Saudi Arabia from Level 1, which calls for exercising caution, to Level 2, which calls for avoiding nonessential travel. Following the latest change, announced Wednesday, that reflects increased attacks by pro-Iran Houthi rebels in Yemen, the entire country of Saudi Arabia is under Level 2 or higher in Japan’s four-tier travel alert scale. The ministry said that no Japanese nationals had been affected by the attacks as of Wednesday.