June 18, 2020
To: Students, Faculty, and Staff
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences

Notification Regarding Overseas Travel and Entry to Japan
During the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic
Due the global spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infections, we issued a“Notification Regarding Overseas Travel” on April 2, 2020, asking that students, faculty, andstaff refrain from all overseas travel for the time being. On March 20, 2020, a request wasissued (in Japanese only) to all students, faculty, and staff entering Japan from overseas
asking that they manage their health for 14 days after landing in Japan. As the pandemic is
now predicted to continue for a long while, we have prepared the following new travel
guidelines regarding international activities for both research and educational purposes. Weurge everyone to keep up with the latest information and to make plans accordingly.
Links to the websites mentioned below appear at the end of this document.
1.

Travel from Japan to Other Countries

If you are thinking of traveling to or from Japan, confirm all of the following items andfollow the guidelines given under either “3. Guidelines for Overseas Travel and Entry toJapan for Research Purposes” or “4. Guidelines for Overseas Travel and Entry to Japan for
Educational or Study Purposes.” Also follow the requests herein regarding personal travelfor other purposes.
(1-1) Check the latest information regarding the risk levels of your intended destination on
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ overseas safety site (in Japanese). As a rule, do nottravel to any country or region with a risk level of 2 or above. Even if the level ofyour destination is 1 or lower, you may be subject to restrictions on your activities
when you re-enter Japan, so consider carefully whether your trip is really necessary.
Refer to “2. Entering Japan” regarding the restrictions you must follow after entering
Japan.

1

(1-2) Check the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare’s site about enhanced border
restrictions (in Japanese) for the latest information about countries and regions fromwhich entry to Japan is restricted.
(1-3) Check the Ministry of Justice’s site about entry prohibitions related to the novel
coronavirus (in Japanese) for the latest information about countries and regions fromwhich entry to Japan is prohibited. Passport holders from those countries and regions
may be denied entry to Japan even if they hold work or study visas, so check carefully
whether you or anyone accompanying you might be affected by those prohibitions.
(1-4) If you are thinking of traveling outside Japan, check the government and embassy
websites for your intended destinations to confirm the latest information about visa
issuance restrictions, entry restrictions, quarantine procedures, and restrictions onactivities.
2.

Entering Japan

If you are thinking of entering Japan, confirm all of the following items and follow theguidelines given below under either “3. Guidelines for Overseas Travel and Entry to Japanfor Research Purposes” or “4. Guidelines for Overseas Travel and Entry to Japan for
Educational or Study Purposes.”(2-1) Check the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare’s site about enhanced border
restrictions (in Japanese) for the latest information about countries and regions fromwhich entry to Japan is restricted. People coming from those countries and regions
will be required to take a PCR test at the airport after entering Japan, stay at home for
14 days, and avoid using public transportation. If you are not able to arrange yourown transportation from the airport to where you will stay or if you have not arranged
for a place to stay in Japan, you will be required to stay in a facility designated by theQuarantine Station until the results of your PCR test are available. Please postpone
your entry to Japan if you would be entering Japan for the first time and either you
would have no place to stay or you would be unable to arrange your own
transportation from the airport.
(2-2) Check the Ministry of Justice’s site about entry prohibitions related to the novel
coronavirus (in Japanese) for the latest information about countries and regions fromwhich entry to Japan is prohibited. Passport holders from those countries and regions
may be denied entry to Japan even if they hold work or study visas.
(2-3) If, after confirming the information in (2-1) and (2-2), you still intend to enter Japan,
note that you will be required to manage your health (check your temperature,2

maintain healthful habits, avoid going outside, etc.) and not come to theuniversity for 14 days from the date of your entry to Japan, regardless ofwhether or not you have had a PCR test and regardless of your point of origin
and transit points. In that case, notify your department that you are in a 14-day
health-management period. If you live in shared housing, minimize your use oflounges and other spaces that might be used by many people. If you were kept inquarantine by the MHLW as indicated in (2-1), then you may come to the university
after the 14-day period, including the quarantine period, has ended. When coming tothe university after the end of the 14-day period, follow the entry procedures requiredby the particular campus.
3.

Guidelines for Overseas Travel and Entry to Japan for Research Purposes

If you are thinking of traveling overseas or entering Japan for research purposes, plan
your trip in accordance with “1. Travel from Japan to Other Countries” and “2. EnteringJapan” above and the following guidelines.
(3-1) As a rule, do not travel to any country or region indicated as having an infection risk
level of 2 or above on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ overseas safety site (inJapanese).
(3-2) Even if the infection risk level of your destination is 1 or lower, restrict your activities
after re-entering Japan as explained in “2. Entering Japan” above. Make arrangementswith your department in advance to ensure that your work is handled appropriately
after you re-enter Japan.
(3-3) Even if your overseas trip has already been approved by the Graduate School or theuniversity as part of a sabbatical, an international project for young researchers, etc.,
be aware that you will bear all risks of travel yourself and consider carefully whether
the trip is really necessary. If you decide to postpone your trip and your department
is able to make the necessary arrangements, the Graduate School will makeadjustments accordingly. Note that these guidelines do not prevent researchers fromproceeding with departmental application procedures for future sabbaticals,international projects for young researchers, etc.
(3-4) Graduate students may accompany faculty on overseas trips only when clearlynecessary for research purposes. For educational purposes, see “4. Guidelines forOverseas Travel and Entry to Japan for Educational or Study Purposes” below.

34.

Guidelines for Overseas Travel and Entry to Japan for Educational or StudyPurposes
If you are thinking of traveling overseas or entering Japan for educational or study

purposes, plan your trip in accordance with “1. Travel from Japan to Other Countries” and“2. Entering Japan” above and the following guidelines. These guidelines apply to bothundergraduate and graduate students. Some countries and regions have imposed strict
restrictions on activities there; furthermore, after re-entering Japan, you will be subject torestrictions, such as staying home, that might affect your class participation. With regard toshort-term study programs in particular, consider carefully whether participating in such aprogram would really be of significant educational value despite the restrictions.
(4-1) Short-term Study Abroad Programs(4-1-1) Make every effort to substitute online learning for your study abroad program.
The application of information technology to education has great potential, not only
for online classes now during the COVID-19 pandemic but also for international
education in the emerging Society 5.0 era.
(4-1-2) If you are planning a study abroad program that cannot be replaced with online
learning, then plan your trip in accordance with “3. Guidelines for Overseas Traveland Entry to Japan for Research Purposes” above. Faculty must inform allparticipants and (in the case of minors) their guardians clearly and completely about
the risks of sudden changes in conditions and the likelihood of restrictions onactivities; they must also receive confirmation, such as through a signed statement,that those risks are understood.
(4-1-3) Do not conduct or participate in any short-term study abroad programs when
the Komaba Campus is in Stage Red A or higher, when no face-to-face classes arepermitted.
(4-1-4) If you do travel internationally for educational or study purposes, follow allof the regular safety rules and procedures specified by the university as well.
(4-2) Students Overseas Who Expect to Be Enrolled in the College or Graduate School
We anticipate that many students now overseas will be unable to enter Japan evenafter the start of the A semester, including PEAK/GPEAK students, regular students,
special auditors, students doing supervised research, etc. Some students in Japan
will similarly be unable to move to the Tokyo area. The College and Graduate
School will make suitable arrangements for such students.

4(4-3) Private Travel Overseas by Students(4-3-1)All students planning international travel, whether for personal or university

purposes, must follow “3. Guidelines for Overseas Travel and Entry to Japan for
Research Purposes” above.
(4-3-2) Students considering leaving Japan for personal reasons, such as to visit theirhomes, may be subject to denied or restricted re-entry to Japan, so consider yourplans carefully based on “2. Entering Japan” above.
(4-4) Long-Term Study Abroad
If you are planning to enroll in a long-term study abroad program, follow theinstructions of the program’s operators. While this notification does not apply tostudents who take a leave of absence in order to enroll in a long-term study abroad
program, the restrictions on activities imposed by the College and Graduate School
will apply to those students after they return to Japan.
5.

Staff Members
Staff members traveling overseas or returning to Japan should follow “3. Guidelines
for Overseas Travel and Entry to Japan for Research Purposes.”

Related websites
MOFA’s overseas safety site (in Japanese)
https://www.anzen.mofa.go.jp/
MOFA’s overseas travel registration service (in Japanese; for Japanese citizens)
https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/
MHLW’s site about enhanced border restrictions (in Japanese)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000121431_00098.html
MOJ’s site about entry restrictions related to the novel coronavirus (in Japanese)
http://www.moj.go.jp/hisho/kouhou/hisho06_00099.html
WHO’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public (in English)
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public5

National Institute of Infectious Diseases information on novel coronavirus (mostly inJapanese, some in English)
https://www.niid.go.jp/niid/ja/from-idsc/2482-corona/9305-corona.html
Counseling services
The following counseling services are available for people experiencing anxiety or otherproblems:
International Student Advisory Roomhttps://www.globalkomaba.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/inbound/support/advising.html (in Japanese)
https://www.globalkomaba.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/inbound/support/advising.html (in English)
Komaba Student Counseling Center
http://kscc.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ (in Japanese)
Office for Mental Health Support
http://dcs.adm.u-tokyo.ac.jp/mhs/en/ (in English)

6