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Message from President Gonokami to New International Students

October 1, 2020

Dear International Students Newly Admitted to the University of Tokyo in 2020

Welcome to the University of Tokyo.

On September 24, the University of Tokyo held this year’s autumn entrance ceremony. Altogether, we welcomed 40 undergraduate and 818 graduate students. Of these, 29 undergraduate students and 676 graduate students are from abroad.

Regrettably, many of the international students were unable to physically attend the ceremony because of the entry restrictions imposed by the Japanese government to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Your absence was sorely felt and we missed you all. We extend our warmest feeling of welcome to all those who were not there and we hope you will be able to join the University of Tokyo community in person as soon as possible.

The University of Tokyo will continue to offer most courses online, as in the previous semester. We will do our best to minimize the impact of the virus on your study and research environment.

The Japanese government is gradually loosening its entry restrictions for non-citizens. Since the end of August, it began allowing the MEXT scholarship recipients to enter the nation, provided necessary quarantine measures can be ensured. It is planning to allow other international students to enter Japan, starting from October.

Specific details are yet to be released but we are certain you will be able to come to Japan before long. In the meantime, the university will take concrete measures to make sure you may enter the nation safely.

Once you arrive in Japan and are tested for the virus, you will have to isolate yourself in a private room at an accommodation facility for 14 days. Some of you are probably worried how you would be able to find such a facility and also pay for your stay.

As I stated during the entrance ceremony, the University of Tokyo will do its best to support you so that you may start your academic career as smoothly as possible. So please rest assured. The university will secure an appropriate place for you to stay during the 14-day self-isolation period. We will also assist you in paying for the accommodation by providing a set sum. Additionally, the University of Tokyo will assume responsibility for overseeing your health condition while staying at the accommodation facility. Moreover, we will also assist you if you need any help in finding a place to live after the isolation period.

The University of Tokyo is fully committed to offering various forms of assistance to all the students coming from abroad so that they will not have to face undue hurdles once they arrive in Japan. So please proceed with your plan to study with us. We are very much looking forward to your safe arrival in Japan and welcoming you to our beautiful verdant campus.

We will provide you with further details about the support and contact details you may need for your arrival in Japan through the graduate school/faculty office of your affiliation soon. Please wait for further information.

Again, we are all very much looking forward to seeing you in Tokyo!

 

GONOKAMI Makoto
President
The University of Tokyo

 

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