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  • With Japan’s easing of entry restrictions, International students arrive on campus

2022/05/09

With Japan’s easing of entry restrictions, International students arrive on campus

    Since the spread of COVID-19, international students who had enrolled at our university from all over the world were forced to take online classes in their home countries due to Japan's entry restrictions.

    With the easing of entry restrictions by Japan in March this year, international students have gradually returned to campus. Currently, more than 400 international students from 49 countries and regions have come to the campus. However, there are still international students who are waiting to enter the country and continue to study online. 

    We will continue to hold events and exchange meetings by the staff of the International Affairs Office and the Foreign Student Association, both of which support international students, to provide educational opportunities and opportunities to foster friendships even if they cannot meet in-person.
    We have received the following comments from international students that have come to Japan for the first time:
    2nd-year student from Hong Kong, Faculty of Science and Engineering
    Last year, I was worried because I had to take all my classes online. I am very happy to finally be able to come to Japan, meet my friends in person, and take classes in-person. It has only been a month since I came to Japan, but I am having fun discovering something new every day. It was difficult to live my university life only online. The moment I closed my computer, all connections with the university disappeared. In such an environment, I struggled with taking courses and working on assignments by myself. Now that I have been able to enter Japan, I decided to connect with people more, so I joined the Foreign Student Association. I would like to do my best to provide fun events and support for other international students and new international students who have come to Japan. I want to enjoy the rest of my university life without regrets.

    2nd-year student from Brazil, Graduate School of International Peace Studies
    I entered the Graduate School of International Peace Studies in April last year, but I had to start by taking online classes at home. It was hard to be far away for a year, but I was able to make many new friends through various extracurricular activities and online events, especially through preparing for the Sodai (Soka University) Festival. I feel very fortunate that my friends, whom I had never met in person, were waiting for me in Japan, and I am filled with gratitude. The time difference between Europe and Japan was one of the major challenges I faced. In order to not miss out on various opportunities during the semester, I decided to reorganize my daily schedule according to Japan time. I woke up at midnight local time, had lunch at 5 a.m., and went to bed around 5 p.m. For that reason, I set aside the local lifestyle and friends, prepared lunch the day before, and prepared for classes, as if I were in Japan. My resolution is to make this last year meaningful in all aspects of life at Soka University. I would also like to support and encourage new students to discover their own potential and enjoy their life here at Soka University. 
    ページ公開日:2022/05/09