MH17: Japanese Flag Will Fly At Half-Mast Friday

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- The Japanese flag will fly at half-mast at the Chancellery and the residence of the Japanese Ambassador in Malaysia Friday, the Day of National Mourning as a mark of respect for victims of the downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. The Embassy of Japan, in a statement Thursday, said that on behalf of the government and people of Japan, the mission expressed its profound condolences to the government and people of Malaysia, in particular the families of those aboard the Malaysian plane. "Our hearts and minds always stay with the government and people of Malaysia in this agonising time, and we would be ready to render any possible support if needed," it said in a statement Thursday. The first batch of 20 remains of the MH17 crash victims will arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on a special flight from Amsterdam at about 10 am Friday. The Boeing 777 plane was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down by missiles over eastern Ukraine on July 17, killing all 298 people aboard, including 43 Malaysians. -- BERNAMA