OSAKA -- Foreign students are beginning to come or return to Japan for their university studies as entry restrictions implemented to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus have been eased.
Amid the drastic decrease in flights and self-quarantine measures upon arrival, universities are searching for ways to reduce the burdens these students face.
Japan began allowing foreign students who still have student visas to reenter the country from Aug. 5, and later that month permitted the entry of new government-sponsored students. New self-supporting students could enter the country from Oct. 1. All students are required to self-quarantine for 14 days, either at home -- without using public transportation to get there -- or at a hotel near the airport of disembarkation at their own expense.
The number of arrivals and departures of international flights at Kansai International Airport in September dropped 96% from the previous year. Of the 2,700 newly selected government-sponsored students, only about 1,200 could enter the country as of Oct. 30, according to the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry.
At Osaka University in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, 45 students with student visas had reentered Japan as of Oct. 30. Of the about 130 newly enrolled government-sponsored students, 111 were in Japan. Only two of the approximately 470 self-supporting students had come to Japan, but that number is expected to increase.
"We received a flood of inquiries about coming to Japan once the lifting of the entry ban was announced," said an assistant manager of the university's international student exchange division. "Newly accepted foreign students are taking online classes without coming to Japan. But they may want to experience the environment [in Japan] as soon as possible."
Since September, Osaka University has provided a chartered vehicle that transports students from Kansai International Airport to their lodgings near the university for 3,000 yen and delegated hotel arrangement work to travel agencies. Until August, the university had subsidized hotel charges for the self-quarantine period, but revised the measure in anticipation of an increase in the number of students who need such support in the future.
Nagoya University in September picked up six students at Narita Airport via a chartered bus because international flights had not resumed at Chubu Centrair International Airport. In addition to providing student dormitories for self-quarantine, the university is considering shouldering a portion of any hotel fees.
"We want to think of the best options regarding support for hotel and transportation expenses given our limited budget," the head of the university's exchange student division said.
The University of Tokyo and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies also subsidize hotel and car service fees.
However, short-term study abroad programs face the difficult situation of not knowing when restrictions will be lifted for their students.
Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, annually accepts about 600 foreign students who stay for about six months to a year but did not admit them this autumn. Instead, students who were planning to study there take online classes once or twice a week.
"The second semester has already started, and we cannot suddenly change the curriculum," said a faculty member in charge of the program.
The government announced the goal of increasing the number of foreign students from about 120,000 in 2008 to 300,000 by 2020. There were about 310,000 foreign students in Japan in 2019, according to a poll conducted by the Japan Student Services Organization. But the pandemic has halted the inflow.
"Foreign students who come all the way to Japan have the potential to become supporters of this country in the future," said Osaka University Prof. Sachihiko Kondo, who also is the president of the Japan Association for International Student Education.
"Universities should clearly indicate to students and their parents what procedures are necessary and provide as much support as possible to ensure that students feel at ease coming to Japan," Kondo said.
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