To YNU International Students with Plans for New Entry into Japan

October 12, 2020
Yuichi Hasebe
President, Yokohama National University

　The Japanese government has announced that new entry into Japan will be permitted from October 1, 2020, for holders of status of residence including “Student,” in principle, from all countries and regions.
　According to the Japanese government’s announcement, in order for permission for new entry to be granted, various conditions and obligations will be imposed on international student, and YNU will be required to guarantee that these conditions and obligations will be observed and fulfilled by the international student as well as provide management, guidance, and supervision, and to this effect, issue a written pledge (addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare), which the international student must submit when applying for an entry visa.

　This notification covers YNU’s policy on issuing the above-mentioned written pledge.

1. The conditions and obligations imposed for new entry into Japan are numerous and stringent, and expected to place considerable mental, physical, and financial burdens on international student. Furthermore, as a rule, classes in the fall semester of the current academic year will be conducted online, to the extent possible with due consideration to education and student support for international students who have not traveled to Japan. Most international students, therefore, are unlikely to apply to the contents of the pledge stating “The traveler’s visit is for truly urgent and essential purposes.” For this reason, our policy at YNU is for the Dean of the international student’s undergraduate or graduate school to issue a written pledge only under the circumstances described below.
   ?When traveling to Japan is deemed by the program to be truly necessary from the perspective of education and research, for example, if the international student must take some in-person classes (in order to conduct experiments, practical training, and so on necessary for graduation or completion), or the international student faces extreme difficulty taking online classes in his or her home country owing to the time difference, lack of communication and information infrastructures, and so on, and the Dean of the undergraduate or graduate school approves.


2. As an essential condition of issuing the written pledge in 1. above, international student must submit a written pledge addressed to YNU stating the following contents. If the international student wishes to travel to Japan and can observe the contents of this written pledge, he or she should consult with the undergraduate or graduate school. If traveling to Japan is approved, the international student should receive the format for the written pledge from the undergraduate or graduate school.
   
   • （1）Refrain from staying in the countries/regions which are subject to denial of permission to entry (refer to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan) except the country/region of departure for 14 days prior to the departure. (Note: In case of transiting through the countries/regions which are subject to denial of permission to entry on the way to Japan, entering these countries/regions with an entry permit is regarded as “staying”.)
   • （2）Check your body temperature daily for 14 days prior to the departure, and cancel the trip to Japan if any common symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, respiratory 　symptoms, or strong feeling of weariness (fatigue) are recognized, and report the cancellation to your academic advisor or the office of your college/graduate school.
   • （3）Take PCR or other equivalent test within 72 hours before departure and obtain a certificate of pre-entry test results (negative results) in the designated format issued by the medical institution in the country/region of departure; and submit a copy of the certificate to your academic advisor or the office of your college/graduate school before departure as well as to present the certificate (original or copy) at the airport quarantine office and submit to the Immigration Office. Also, acknowledge that permission to enter Japan may be denied in case of failing to submit or present the certificate.
   • （4）Except in the case of having a domicile or a residence in Japan, arrange an accommodation for staying for 14 days after entering to Japan (in principle, the accommodation must be a single room with a bathroom and shower, and the use of the shared facilities such as kitchen is prohibited. The university dormitories and houses of friends or acquaintances are not allowed for the accommodations) and report the name and address of the accommodation and contact phone number and email address during the stay to your academic advisor or the office of your college/graduate school.
   • （5）Take out private medical insurance (including travel insurance covering medical expenses during the period of stay in Japan) before entering Japan, which is valid for at least 3 to 4 weeks, until the completion of registration with the National Health Insurance in Japan, and submit a copy of the certificate of insurance to your academic advisor or to the office of your college/graduate school.
   • （6）Carry a smartphone that can be used in Japan and install the COVID-19 contact tracing application designated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare at the time of the arrival to Japan, and ensure that the application remains active for 14 days after entering Japan as well as to retain your location data through a map application for 14 days after entering to Japan.
   • （7）In case of arriving from the country/region which is subject to denial of permission to entry, undergo PCR or other equivalent test at the quarantine station at the airport upon arrival in Japan, and stay at the location designated by the quarantine station chief until the result comes out and refrain from physical contact with other people.
   • （8）Use only a rented car, a hired car, a bus arranged by the quarantine station or accommodation or a car arranged by your academic advisor or the office of your college/graduate school in charge for 14 days after entering Japan.
   • （9）Stay at home or the arranged accommodation for 14 days after entering Japan and refrain from physical contact with other people.
   • （10）If you are able to interact in Japanese and have a smartphone operated in Japanese domestic phone number, install the LINE application at the time of arrival to Japan and report your health condition every day for 14 days after entering Japan to the public health center via the LINE application; otherwise, report your health condition every day to your academic advisor or to the office of your college/graduate school every day for 14 days after entering Japan and cooperate with our academic advisor or the office of your college/graduate school to report your health condition to the public health center via the LINE application.
   • （11）In case any symptom of COVID-19 appears, report to your academic advisor or the office of your college/graduate school immediately as well as to consult with the YNU Health Service Center and the “Call Center for Japanese Returnees and Potential Contacts” which has jurisdiction over the place of the accommodation, and get the necessary medical care at the designated medical institution.
   • （12）Understand that violation of any of the articles above, including a false statement in the applications, may be subject to the evocation of the status of residence and deportation from Japan. In addition, take responsible actions by understanding that the name of the University may be announced to the public as the organization not respecting the pledge and the other invitees (international students and researchers) of the University may be subsequently refused entry to Japan due to the violation of the articles above.


3. When travel arrangements are made by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the World Bank, a foreign government, or other organization, international student should follow the instructions provided by that organization, and YNU shall provide a response based on requests from that organization.


4. When the international student is accompanied or plans to be joined by family members, YNU will not issue a written pledge for the family members’ entry into Japan.


5. Related Links
   ●Phased Measures for Resuming Cross-Border Travel
   https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/cp/page22e_000925.html
   
   ●List of Countries/Regions under Denial of Permission to Entry
   https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html
   
   ●Procedures and Documents necessary to Enter/Leave Japan
   ?Countries and Regions which are Subject to Denial of Permission to Entry (Travel Advice & Warning on Infectious Diseases Level 3)
   https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/cp/page25e_000337.html
   ?Countries and Regions which are not Subject to Denial of Permission to Entry (Travel Advice & Warning on Infectious Diseases Level 2)
   https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/cp/page25e_000338.html
   
   ●FAQs on Strengthening Border Security (in Japanese)
   https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/covid19_qa_kanrenkigyou_00001.html