April 7, 2011

This is a notice to inform you that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) will be implementing support for international students relating to the Great East Japan Earthquake as given below.
We will also be continuing to consider further detailed measures in accordance with the circumstances of the international students.

(Japanese government scholarship students)

  1. MEXT will be paying for the airline tickets to come back to Japan for those international students who were studying in Japan as Japanese government scholarship students and were forced to temporarily return to their home countries owing to the occurrence of the Earthquake (out of those municipalities to which the Act on Disaster Relief applies, international students residing in those areas which continue to require relief). (Notice scheduled to be sent to all of the applicable universities and educational institutes on April 7 (Thursday). Contact: Japanese Government Scholarship Students Section (03-6734-3052)).

    2. Note: With regard to international students from Taiwan whose scholarships are being paid by the Interchange Association of Japan, financial aid shall be given for the airfare to come back to Japan via the Interchange Association of Japan. (Information scheduled to be communicated to all of the applicable students on April 7 (Thursday). Contact: The General Affairs Division of the Interchange Association of Japan (Ext. 03-5573-2600, ext. 14)).

(Privately-funded international students)

  1. MEXT will be conducting additional recruitment for the study grants of privately-funded international students for the first semester (April through to July) for those international students showing excellent academic performance who were studying in Japan as privately-funded international students and suffered economic distress owing to this Earthquake (out of those municipalities to which the Act on Disaster Relief applies, international students residing in those areas which continue to require relief; the criteria for the grades are the same as the criteria for the payment of study grants for privately-funded international students). (To be implemented through the Japan Student Services Organization.)
    (Notice on additional recruitment scheduled to be sent out on April 8 (Friday).
    Contact: International Scholarship Division, International Students Program Department, Japan Student Services Organization (Tel: 03-5520 -6030)

Moreover, there are various systems relating to disaster victim support such as a support system for reconstruction of the lives of disaster victims which apply to those persons who have lost their place of residence owing to the Earthquake.
This system also applies to international students.
(Todofuken kaikanhttp://www.tkai.jp/shienjigyo/index.html）

(Reference: The key support policies implemented for international students thus far)

(Transmission of information aimed at foreign nationals)

  1. MEXT provides information aimed at international students through the Japan Student Services Organization website (links to the websites of the Prime Minister’s Residence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and universities where necessary).

    2. (1) MEXT website
    Japanese:   (https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/saigaijohou/index.htm）
    English:      (https://www.mext.go.jp/en/incident/index.htm）
    Chinese:     (https://www.mext.go.jp/en/incident/title01/detail01/sdetail01/1373007.htm）
    Korean:      (https://www.mext.go.jp/en/incident/title01/detail01/sdetail01/1373006.htm）

    (Examples of provided information)

       

    (2)Information is also provided through Japan Student Services Organization (http://www.jasso.go.jp/site/links_e_saigai.html) and the various universities, and information is being provided in 17 languages through the Osaka University Research Institute for World Languages (http://riwl-disaster.info/）and the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies Center for Multilingual Multicultural Education and Research (http://www.tufs.ac.jp/blog/ts/g/cemmer/2011/03/post_172.html).In addition, information is being provided in eight languages through the Keio University “Wide Project” http://www.wide.ad.jp/）.

(On the acquisition of visas for re-entry)

  1. A large number of international students temporarily returned to their home countries owing to the Earthquake without acquiring re-entry permission for Japan. The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced to the effect that with regard to the re-entry of such international students, simplified procedures and special measures have been established.

    2. (1) To the international students who returned home owing to the occurrence of the Earthquake
    http://www.moj.go.jp/nyuukokukanri/kouhou/nyuukokukanri01_00026.html

    (2) To the international students who departed without acquiring re-entry permission owing to the occurrence of the Earthquake
    http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/saigai/pdfs/ryuugakusei.pdf

(Emergency relief)

  1. Emergency relief has been given to the approximately 1,000 international students of the applicable universities, who were affected by the Earthquake (March 2011). (Undergraduate program: 125,000 yen, master’s program: 154,000 yen, doctoral program: 155,000 yen)

(Regarding measures for international students and studies (various notices))

  1. Consideration for all students affected by this Earthquake, including international students (flexible measures for the deadline for payment of tuition fees, flexible handling of accreditation and appropriate measures for mental health) (“Consideration for Students Affected by the Tohoku Region Pacific Coast Earthquake”, issued by Kan Suzuki, Vice-Minister for Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and sent to the presidents of the universities, March 14).
  1. With regard to Japanese government scholarship students, Student Exchange Support Program (short-term acceptance, short-term dispatch) and students who have qualified for the study grants for privately-funded international students, flexible measures are being implemented concerning the confirmation of enrollment owing to transfer inside and outside of Japan and closure of the university offices, and changes are being made to the payment period owing to temporary departure from Japan and difficulties in returning to Japan (administrative notices sent to Japan Student Services Organization and other organizations (March 22, 25 and 31)).

(Others, support through Japan Student Services Organization)

  1. Japan Student Services Organization established an advice and guidance counter for international students on March 19.
    (International Students Advice and Guidance Counter Relating to the Tohoku Region Pacific Coast Earthquake: Tel: 03-5520-6036)

    2. In addition, with regard to the government-sponsored international students who are due to arrive in April, please take note that the acceptance times of the universities at which such students will study the Japanese language have been changed as follows:

    Undergraduate students of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and Osaka University:
    April 6 has been changed to April 17

    Tokyo Japanese Language Education Center of the Japan Student Services Organization:
    April 4 has been changed to April 18

    Bunka Institute of Language:
    April 3 has been changed to April 16

（Office for Student Exchange, Student Support and Exchange Division, Higher Education Bureau）