Australia again urges citizens to consider leaving Japan

CANBERRA, March 17 (Reuters) - Australia's government on Thursday urged citizens in Tokyo and eight other affected prefectures to consider getting out of Japan, including the families of embassy staff.

But it said its warning was because of infrastructure problems, not the fear of radiation.

"We have a real problem in terms of the infrastructure in Japan. We have uncertainty of power supply, we have problems with train services, we have problems with public transport services, many schools have closed and there is this repeated series of aftershocks," Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said.

"Unless it's essential you be there, then we are saying you should consider going, departing," he said.

Rudd said he believed the Japanese government had done everything possible to be transparent about the risks posed by the crippled power station and has done everything that could have been expected in other countries.

(Reporting by Rob Taylor; Editing by Jonathan Thatcher)