The first case of novel coronavirus infection was confirmed in Japan on January 15, 2020; as of the beginning of May 2021, more than 600,000 people have been infected, and more than 10,000 people have died, causing tremendous damage. The government has promoted initiatives to balance socioeconomic activities with preventing the spread of infection. Specifically among them, the promotion of education, science and technology innovation, sports, culture and art undertaken by MEXT is at the core of the initiatives that will pave the way for the future of Japan, and these must continue to be implemented even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With this determination, MEXT has been taking the following measures to ensure that children can realize their dreams by guaranteeing that they can learn in a safe environment and accelerate research and development at the same time that will contribute to measures against the new coronavirus and future infectious diseases, provide support to researchers, and support sports, cultural and artistic activities that have been tremendously affected.The first case of novel coronavirus infection was confirmed in Japan on January 15, 2020; as of the beginning of May 2021, more than 600,000 people have been infected, and more than 10,000 people have died, causing tremendous damage. The government has promoted initiatives to balance socioeconomic activities with preventing the spread of infection. Specifically among them, the promotion of education, science and technology innovation, sports, culture and art undertaken by MEXT is at the core of the initiatives that will pave the way for the future of Japan, and these must continue to be implemented even during the COVID-19 pandemic.With this determination, MEXT has been taking the following measures to ensure that children can realize their dreams by guaranteeing that they can learn in a safe environment and accelerate research and development at the same time that will contribute to measures against the new coronavirus and future infectious diseases, provide support to researchers, and support sports, cultural and artistic activities that have been tremendously affected.

1 Education-related responses

(1)Measures to prevent infectious diseases in schools and safeguarding the learning of children and students

　On February 28, 2020, MEXT requested school administrators to implement temporary closure of schools, and many schools took measures to close temporarily. The temporary school closure measures provided an opportunity to highlight once again the importance of schools to children and their families and to reaffirm the role of schools not only as a guarantee of learning opportunities and academic achievement but also as a guarantee of holistic development and growth, a place where children can safely and securely interact with others, and a safety net that guarantees their physical and mental health in terms of welfare aspects. In light of this, MEXT implemented various measures to ensure children’s healthy learning to the maximum extent possible while implementing thorough measures against infectious diseases.
　For example, from the perspective of school hygiene management, to contribute to the efforts to reduce the infection risk of children and students, MEXT created the “COVID-19 Infection Control Manuals and Guidelines for Schools” in May 2020, which has been revised and disseminated from time to time based on the latest knowledge. In June of the same year, “Guidelines for Continuous School Operation in Response to COVID-19” were prepared, and the basic concepts and support measures for the “Guarantee Learning” as a “Comprehensive Measures Package to ‘Guarantee Learning’ for Children in Response to Measures Against COVID-19 Pandemic” were summarized. Each school was also requested to enhance its guidance by reorganizing its timetables, reconsidering long school holidays, and prioritizing learning activities in classes(Fig. 1-1-1).
Furthermore, as students have been facing various stresses and challenges due to the long-term effects of COVID-19, it is necessary to take firm measures to deal with the impact of the pandemic on students’ psychology and their home environment. To improve mental care and welfare support for students, MEXT is assisting in the additional assignment of school counselors and school social workers and is demonstrating to schools how to give due consideration to the mental care of students, such as by providing students with support via yogo teachers and school counselors, etc., and by informing students of consultation services such as a 24-hour child SOS hotline.
For the prevention of discrimination and prejudice related to COVID-19, in May 2020, information was disseminated on matters that should be kept in mind when guiding students as they resume educational activities, such as guidance efforts to prevent discrimination and prejudice. Subsequently, in August of the same year, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology released a message, and in October, an educational video was also prepared.
Regarding school trips, MEXT requested schools to consider the educational significance and sentiments of the students, take appropriate measures to prevent infection and consider making appropriate changes or improvements to implementing the measures.
To ensure that students could take the high school entrance examinations without worrying, given that many junior high schools were temporarily closed due to the spread of COVID-19, the prefectural boards of education, which conduct the examinations, were requested to consider the scope, content, and methods of questions based on the learning situation of junior high schools and other schools in the region. In addition, MEXT asked that examiners take measures against infectious diseases at exam sites and ensure that students could sit for the examinations by conducting additional inspections. The examinations were successfully conducted with the implementation of these measures.
The high school students did not have enough time to prepare for employment because of the temporary closure of schools, so the start date for recruitment screening was postponed by one month from September 2020 to October 2020, in coordination with the MHLW and other related organizations to enable students to engage in job-hunting activities confidently.
In addition to implementing measures against infectious diseases, improving educational activities at schools, and disseminating necessary information, MEXT has also implemented necessary budgetary measures to provide personnel support such as teacher work support staff, material support such as maintenance of sanitation supplies like disinfectant solutions, and improve the hygienic environment such as renovation of air conditioners and restrooms, the start of the “GIGA School Program” was brought forward significantly to April 2021, enabling a “1 device for 1 student” environment. MEXT will continue to provide necessary advice and support to schools implementing measures against infectious diseases so that children can lead a school life with peace of mind.

(2) Response at universities, etc.

1)Securing learning opportunities for students
　The recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus infection has led to a significant increase in the number of online classes at universities and colleges of technology (KOSEN) (hereafter referred to as “Universities, etc.”). Since online classes have the advantage of not being restricted by time or place, MEXT has been implementing measures such as supporting the realization of educational methods using digital technology and environmental improvements to disseminate the results. Furthermore, in terms of the system, in response to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, MEXT has taken special measures to consider remote classes, which are conducted when conducting face-to-face classes is difficult, as face-to-face classes and clarifying and disseminating the handling of cases where part of face-to-face classes are conducted remotely.
On the other hand, since personal interaction among students and between students and teachers and other personnel is also an important element of education at universities, etc. and other institutions, it is necessary to firmly accept the desire of students to take classes in person. MEXT urged Universities, etc., to actively consider providing opportunities for in-person classes after taking sufficient measures to prevent the spread of infection rather than holding all classes online, and also disseminated examples of excellent initiatives undertaken by Universities, etc.
MEXT will continue to firmly support the efforts of each university to ensure that the students are not disadvantaged.

2) Support for students affected by the novel coronavirus infection
　In May 2020, in response to students who have been financially affected by COVID-19, MEXT compiled a list of support measures that can be utilized by students with financial difficulties as an emergency measure and continues to support students in need*¹. Specifically, in addition to the steady implementation of the new higher education study support system that was initiated in April 2020, MEXT has been providing support to students as needed through new systems and scholarship loans for households that have experienced a sudden change in financial circumstances, including measures such as tuition fee reductions at various universities, etc. Since students are likely to have various anxieties due to the impact of COVID-19, MEXT requested all Universities, etc., to provide a detailed response to the concerns and anxieties of students, such as establishing a consultation system or collaborating with specialists. Regarding job-hunting activities, we are also requesting economic organizations, etc., to promote active recruitment activities for new graduates, etc., and requesting universities, etc., to do their best to provide detailed job-hunting support by giving job information and job counseling that contribute to the job-hunting activities.
Through these initiatives, MEXT will continue to support students and ensure that students are not forced to give up pursuing higher education or learning due to the impact of COVID-19.


Face-to-face classes are held at music universities using film partitioning.)
(Photo courtesy: Elizabeth University of Music)

3) Conducting university entrance examinations
　Regarding the selection of students entering the university, the application for comprehensive selection type was changed from September 1, originally scheduled, to September 15 in the “Implementation Guidelines for Selection of University Entrants for 2020”, formulated in June 2020. The supplementary exam for the Common Test for University Admissions, scheduled one week after the main exam (January 16 and 17), was postponed by 2 weeks (January 30 and 31). As with the main examination, examination venues are located in all 47 prefectures of Japan, and the second schedule can be selected from the time of application submission to accommodate delays in studies due to temporary vacations. In addition, even if a candidate who chose the second date could not take the exam due to illness or other reasons, a special supplementary exam was conducted 2 weeks later (February 13 and 14) to ensure that the students did not lose the opportunity to take the exam. Furthermore, MEXT requested all universities to conduct online interviews as part of the Comprehensive Selection and School Recommendation Selection and to implement measures such as conducting supplementary examinations or rescheduling the Individual Achievement Test to a different date. Over 90% of national, public and private universities implemented these measures.
Further, with the cooperation of experts in infectious diseases, each university was requested to formulate “FY2021 Guidelines for Implementation of Examination for University Entrance Selection in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic” and to implement measures against infectious diseases during the selection of university entrants. For common tests, the University Entrance Examination Center decided to formulate infection prevention measures in November 2020 and implement the Common Test based on these measures.
As a result, all the tests were completed successfully, including the measures against infectious diseases. Based on how the FY2021 entrance examinations were implemented, MEXT will continue cooperating with relevant high school and university officials to prepare for the FY2022 selection of university entrants so that students can sit for the examinations without worrying.
 
4) Support for international students
　MEXT is making efforts to disseminate necessary information to Japanese students studying overseas, including warnings on infectious disease risk levels, etc., and is also providing financial support.
For example, unlike in the past, scholarships for overseas study are now more flexible, so that even if a student is placed on Level 2 or higher for infectious disease risk while studying abroad, the student may be eligible to receive support after verifying their circumstances in the destination country, if they so wish. Additionally, in light of the requirement for persons entering Japan to stay in a hotel for health observation for 14 days due to the tightening of border measures, MEXT worked with the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) in assisting to reduce the financial burden on Japanese students upon their return to Japan.
In addition to financial support for international students studying in Japan, such as the inclusion of international students to receive “‘Student Support Emergency Aid’ for ‘Continuance of Studies’”, MEXT provided various types of support, including flexible measures such as allowing international students who had difficulty returning to their home countries to change their status of residence to one that allowed them to work in Japan and requesting Universities, etc., to broadly inform students and graduates about the various support systems available to them.

(3) Measures concerning overseas educational facilities

Due to the global spread of COVID-19, even now, students are not allowed to attend school at overseas educational facilities as instructed by the local authorities, and some facilities continue to be forced to provide online classes using ICTs.
MEXT dispatches teachers to Japanese schools and supplementary education schools. Regarding the teachers newly dispatched in FY2020, most of them were on standby in Japan at the beginning of April due to the impact of COVID-19. From June onwards, teachers were sequentially dispatched from countries and regions considered safe for travel, such as those where local epidemic prevention and healthcare systems have been established.
MEXT established a basic allowance for teachers to be dispatched overseas and who were on standby in Japan for work related to overseas educational facilities. In addition, to ensure that students at overseas educational facilities did not stop learning due to the impact of COVID-19, MEXT provided 1 device for 1 student and teacher at Japanese schools, set up ICT equipment and provided measures to prevent infectious diseases, and will continue to strengthen the educational system to ensure uninterrupted learning even in times of emergency.
 

(4) International Initiatives, etc.

In response to the global spread of COVID-19, there were discussions on education during the COVID-19 pandemic in various countries worldwide. Mr. Hagiuda, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, attended the “Global Education Meeting, First Extraordinary Session on Education post-COVID-19” hosted by UNESCO in March 2020 and the meeting of the Ministers of Education of G20 countries held in September, affirming the importance of cooperation with each country to guarantee the learning of children.
In addition to distributing English pamphlets and providing information to each country through the website on educational activities in Japan, information is also being disseminated to schools for foreign students by posting them on the website in plain and sending e-mail magazines.

2 Science and technology-related response

Amid the unprecedented COVID-19 global pandemic, MEXT, in collaboration with relevant ministries and agencies, helped accelerate R&D through enhancement of support by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), with the aim of quickly establishing technologies that would serve as the basis of therapeutic agents, vaccines, and rapid diagnostic methods. In addition, MEXT has been urgently engaged in R&D of droplet dispersal and ventilation simulations through advanced utilization of the supercomputer “Fugaku”. Through such R&D, MEXT has accumulated and shared knowledge on the novel coronavirus and has achieved impressive results, such as the practical application of rapid diagnostic equipment.
Concerning support for researchers affected by COVID-19, MEXT has supported activities at research sites by flexibly responding to extension of deadlines and changes in plans for various procedures under the competitive research funding system, eliminating stagnation in research activities by promoting the use of remote and smart research facilities, and promptly implementing ministerial verification procedures for genetic modification experiments concerning the novel coronavirus.
MEXT will continue to promote R&D on COVID-19 and to control and co-exist with infectious diseases that may occur in the future; also actively promote basic and scientific research from a medium- to long-term perspective, promote interdisciplinary research, and improve the research infrastructure.


Supercomputer “Fugaku”
 

3　Sports-related responses

The recent COVID-19 pandemic forced the voluntary suspension of various sports activities, including training activities for top athletes, professional sports tournaments, club activity competitions, and local sports activities that witness large participation by the public. Under such circumstances, sports are not only indispensable for maintaining and promoting mental and physical health but also have the values that bring pride and joy, dreams, inspiration, and courage to the people and connect the country. Hence, bringing sports back into people’s lives safely and securely and utilizing the power of sports to revitalize society and the economy to usher in a new era is important.
From the perspective of maintaining and promoting mental and physical health, an exercise and sports awareness leaflet has been prepared to prevent secondary damage to health that threatens physical and mental because of lack of exercise due to the restraints from going out. Guidelines to prevent secondary damage to health through sports have been created, especially for older adults concerned about the decline of muscle strength and cognitive function due to lack of exercise.
Various sporting events were also canceled or postponed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic support was provided for resuming such events to organizers of the nationwide sporting events as subsidies for taking measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at venues, public relations for continuous attraction of customers, securing facilities, and ascertaining the uninfected status of the athletes.
Furthermore, in the case of club activities at junior high schools and high schools, many national tournaments were canceled, and students eager to engage in club activities were forced to refrain. To be able to carry out club activities without worrying, points regarding caution when participating in club activities were shared, subsidizes provided for expenses necessary to hold regional tournaments to replace canceled national tournaments for Inter-High School and Koshien (Japan National High School Baseball Tournament), competitions were held for final year students in cooperation with related organizations, which were supported by felicitating the winners of the competitions with a special award from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
In addition, sports-related organizations and individual entrepreneurs who were forced to refrain from activities due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic were supported with the necessary expenses to resume and continue activities while taking measures against infection.
In this way, in preparation for the resumption of sports activities, the Japan Sports Agency and various sports-related organizations have created guidelines to prevent the spread of infection. They have explored new ways to enjoy competitions and spectator games and to hold events online while taking infection control measures. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, efforts were made to ensure the success of the Games*² by collaborating with relevant ministries and agencies and related organizations by utilizing the knowledge gained through this process so that athletes and everyone involved in the Games could participate safely and securely.

4　 Culture and art-related response

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, cultural and artistic activities were greatly affected, including cancellation of the cultural and artistic events and changes in the hosting method. The power of culture and art is necessary to comfort and encourage people because of this national crisis situation. The Agency for Cultural Affairs supported persons forced to refrain from cultural and artistic activities to protect the light of Japanese culture and arts.
In terms of economic support, in addition to the government-wide efforts to maintain business continuity and employment regardless of industry, the government also provides support for measures to prevent infectious diseases at cultural facilities and to strengthen the profitability of cultural and artistic organizations. In addition, the government has been working on the “Support Program for Continuation of Cultural and Artistic Activities,” which provides support for expenses necessary for active efforts to resume or continue cultural and artistic activities to individual operators (including freelancers) or small-scale organizations engaged in cultural and artistic activities. In addition, given the situation in which organizers were incurring huge losses due to the voluntary cancellation of events, a special provision was adopted whereby, if a spectator waived the right to request a refund for admission fees, etc., the waived amount would be considered a “donation”, and special measures were implemented to make these donations eligible for deduction. The government has been supporting the formulation of guidelines to prevent the spread of infection at cultural facilities established by various organizations; efforts were also made to repeatedly disseminate information to ensure the continuation of cultural projects and maintain employment.
Although the usual way of holding the 44th All Japan Senior High School Cultural Festival, scheduled to be held in Kochi Prefecture from July 31, 2020, was also canceled in light of the infection situation of the novel coronavirus. The event format was changed to secure opportunities for students to present their works, introduce efforts, distribute videos of performances and practical skills using the Internet and preserve and show the results of their past activities to as many people as possible.
MEXT will continue to work through all means to resume, continue, and develop cultural and artistic activities.

＊1 Financial assistance for students affected by COVID-19   https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/coronavirus/benefit/index.html
＊2 A decision was taken on March 30, 2020 to hold the Tokyo Olympic Games from July 23 to August 8 and the Tokyo Paralympic Games would be held from August 24 to September 5 of the same year.
 

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