A source close to the government revealed on January 14 that the Japanese government is preparing to ease coronaviruses-related entry restrictions on foreign students.
The central government intends to give priority to government-sponsored foreign students who can't progress to the next year of classes or graduate in their home countries unless they earn credits in Japan. The entry of self-supported international students, who account for over 90% of foreign students in Japan, will be allowed later.
In January 2021, the Japanese government halted new arrivals of foreign students with the exception of government-funded students and some others. The government-sponsored foreign students' entry was stopped at the end of November last year after the spread of the omicron variant.
People affiliated with universities and the economic community had called for the government to relax restrictions, as Japan's prolonged entry bans have prompted students abroad to choose to study in other countries instead.
In a Jan. 14 news conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said that we'll consider the matter based on the fact that students are close to graduating or advancing to the next class.