Rocky Swift and Elaine Lies

TOKYO (Reuters – Two decades after Japan closed down its borders against the coronavirus virus, around 150,000 international students cannot enter Japan. The policy has left them in limbo and created headaches for businesses and universities.

As Japan struggles with shrinking populations, the absence of foreign researchers and students is evident in all areas, from large laboratories to smaller, privately-funded universities.

Although Prime Minister Fumio Kinio has been supportive of the strategy to end the virus, business leaders are concerned about its economic consequences, especially given the tight labor market.

The longer-term effects on Japan’s Soft Power, in particular its Academic Reputation around the World, are less apparent.

Piero Carninci is a geneticist from Riken and says he can see the effects first-hand. Japan lacks bioinformatic researchers who are essential for genome studies. However, Piero Carninci says he is unable to bridge the gap by recruiting foreign talent in the past two year.

“My lab and the centre that does this kind of analysis is slowly slowing down, I know for sure.” We’re struggling,” Carninci said. He is Riken’s deputy director and his prize-winning work in genetics was cited in over 60,000.

“Internationalisation in science is definitely critical, because you don’t have all the expertise in the same country.”

To keep the coronavirus away, many countries have closed their borders.

In the United States, international student enrollment dropped 43% from the prior year in fall 2020. Meanwhile, some 80,000 visas for immigrant workers expired unutilized last year.

Japan has the tightest border among Group of Seven members, banning any new residents since March 2020. China is the only major economy to have been as closed-off with zero COVID-19 targets.

These are important decisions. A government-affiliated study showed Japan last year fell to 10th place globally in publication of noteworthy scientific papers, just behind India. It was fourth place in 1994.

‘OWN-GOAL’

According to an official from Japan’s Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan (which represents private educators), nearly half of Japan’s four-year universities were unable to fill all first-year student places in 2021. This is up 15% from the previous year.

The official stated that the primary reason was a decrease in Japanese students. However, it was felt also in other countries.

Over 100 international relations and academic experts signed an open letter asking Kishida for a reopening of borders. Over 33,000 people have signed an online petition asking Kishida to allow students and workers into Japan.

Last week, the government stated that it would allow in 87 students sponsored by state agencies.

Wesley Cheek (sociologist) said, “It is a huge own-goal Japan following decades of masterful use soft power.” He recently returned from Japan to do research in Britain.

People like me who would normally be applying for grants in Japan to continue their research, have to accept a pass for now.

Japan allows international students to work part-time and they have provided the Japanese with a source of workers known as odd-jobs in convenience stores. Japan is hesitant about accepting foreigners.

Yohei Schibasaki, an international recruitment consultant for service and tech companies, stated that there was not enough foreign talent to supply labour demand even before the coronavirus.

He estimates that there were around 170,000 students in Japan from language and trade schools prior to the pandemic. The majority of these students worked part-time.

Hiroshi Mikitani, the chief executive at e-commerce company Rakuten which employs foreign engineers has stated that the curbs were ineffective and “only a plus for the economy”.

International students can find themselves in a difficult situation, with some aspiring to study for many years.

Interviews and social media posts revealed that they had to pay tuition for online classes, lose scholarships, and wait for change for months.

Others have run out of savings. Many have stopped saving and found work elsewhere.

Japan has become a secondary destination for research and study in East Asia. According to Davide Rossi who manages an agency that promotes study abroad, South Korea is now the preferred choice.

Sujin Song (20), a South Korean science major, lost her scholarship. However, she continues to try online lab work. Her November visa was denied her entry to Japan.

Song stated, “I loved Japan very much but I now feel betrayed.”