SNA (Toronto) — International students who wish to join a university or language school are a major resource for Japan’s economy and aging population. Many of them have dreams of learning the language, becoming accustomed to the culture, and contributing long term to the Japanese society. They will ultimately build bridges between Japan and the rest of the world. But, as of now, such students are being turned aside by the government.

Azzi Ichout Khalid, a 23-year-old completing his Masters in International Business in Japan, explains, “I started my studies in Japan with a government scholarship, and now I’m attending a Masters program. My dream is to continue pursuing the career in Japan that I’ve worked so hard for. But recently my reality has been devastating. I have been doing online class for the last six months with an eight hour time difference. My health has suffered and I just want to move past this.”

Most frustratingly for students, the Japanese government has failed to provide them with any kind of timeline for when they can enter Japan, which has been problematic. Many have found it challenging to secure employment; as they don’t know if they will be leaving next week or months from now.

“Financially, I am struggling. I must pay full tuition for my course upfront, despite the course being online. I am also still having to pay rent for my apartment in Japan, which I currently can not use or live in. To add to the financial stress, it is impossible to find a job here due to having to be ready to drop everything and head to Japan with little to no notice if and when the borders open,” said Arelia, a Japanese language school student from Montreal.

As a result of her accumulating expenses, Arelia has been forced to live a very frugal lifestyle to stay afloat. (Like some other students quoted in this article, Arelia wished to avoid giving her surname so as not to become a target for potential retaliation for speaking out.)

She added, “I had lived in Japan for almost two years when I had to return to Canada due to both of my grandparents becoming sick with Covid-19. I have since been unable to return. I had built my whole life In Japan by that point. My work, my schooling, my job and loved ones are all in Japan. I want nothing more than to return to the life that I worked so hard to build.”

The vast majority of students who study in Japan are forced to find a part time job to manage their expenses. For students like Arelia who are currently in their home country, a timeline for when they can enter is needed in order to find employment to combat their living expenses.

On top of the added stress in their home countries, some students have scholarships on the line.

In order for students to receive their scholarship, they must be present in Japan. Due to the current entry restrictions and the upcoming April semester, some students will lose their scholarships. As the screening process can take up to two years, such scholarships are extremely competitive and require many hours of dedicated study to obtain. This leaves a gloomy sense of missed opportunity and wasted time for such students.

Entry has been granted for a select few who meet the Japanese government’s criteria of benefiting the public interest and displaying a high degree of urgency to be in the country.

So, who made the cut? Notably, foreign athletes and those related to the Olympics have been given the green light.

Just in time for the March 26 start of the Nippon Professional Baseball season, the government announced that it would be providing foreign athletes with special exemption visas, as they are deemed to be benefiting the public interest. In addition to these players, foreign soccer players who have been waiting to enter the country will also be granted visas.

Also, those involved in the Olympics have also been deemed to be benefiting the public interest, which grants them entry. Entry began this month and will continue throughout the days leading to the Olympics. Even though overseas spectators have been barred, there may still potentially be 100,000 to 200,000 people entering from overseas for the event. This figure includes athletes, families, coaches, media, and sponsors.

While prompt action has been taken with respect to the professional sports and Olympics-related personnel, international students who have been waiting for up to one year to enter the country are upset by the fact that they have yet to receive any sort of information about when they can expect to enter.

Many students believe that they should receive the same treatment that foreign athletes are being given. Maria, a student from Columbia, points out “International students are also benefiting the public interest by paying tuition fees, rent, and other living expenses. We benefit our universities by increasing the social and cultural diversity of our campuses, enriching the research and learning environment and helping home students to develop internationally relevant skills.”

With entry restrictions staying put, students are left to either further defer their studies, or to take online classes.

“It’s very difficult to be in the right academic mindset when my classes are between 8:00pm and 5:00am every day. The mental health ramifications are hurtful for all of us stranded abroad. We chose to take this path with our lives, we chose to move to Japan to work and study, many of us sold our belongings and house in preparation to move, for me I am losing precious time and experiences in Japan and it’s affecting my education I worked so hard to get to,” said Callum, a 20-year-old student of Doshisha University.

As a result of the drastic time differences; many students face the same fate as Callum. They will have to stay awake during the night time and spend their daytime hours asleep.

Alternatively they can defer. However, this isn’t feasible for many of them as it will cost an additional six months of their education that they have already been forced to delay.

For now, the lives of international students are still on pause.

Note: Author Zach De Rossi is himself a Canadian student waiting to begin his studies in Japan, and is thus using a pseudonym for personal protection.

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