Recommendations for the government from the Research University Consortium: towards flexible immigration procedures for foreign students and researchers

Although immigration control has been tightened in various countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries have relaxed restrictions on the acceptance of foreign students and researchers, and international joint research has become more active. Nevertheless, Japan is the only country left behind when it comes to international human resource exchanges.

The Research University Consortium, which consists of 36 universities and inter-university research institutes, submitted recommendations to the government calling for flexible responses regarding the issuance of visas and entry of foreign students and researchers during the pandemic. There are opportunities for productive joint research and human resource development when conducting international joint research, which entails accepting other nations' students and young researchers into our laboratories. International exchanges of human resources are also emphasized when outstanding students make their university selections; this is an important element in the international competition to acquire human resources.

Various countries have strengthened their border control measures due to the pandemic. However, other G7 countries have resumed international research exchanges and are securing students to promote their academic research and industry fields. The presence of foreign students who want to attend Japanese universities and research institutes is important for tertiary-level research and education and to enhance Japan's international position. This is also true in the top research countries in Europe, the United States, and Asia, including Singapore. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was global competition to attract bright international students.

Amid such intense competition, Japan's advantages over the United States and other countries were geographical proximity, familiarity, safe and secure living, and the ease of obtaining a visa. Today, however, Japan's advantages are disappearing. Although things are moving toward the resumption of visa issuance to government-sponsored foreign students, the actual issuance of visas has been delayed because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been collectively examining visa issuance operations as part of COVID-19 border control measures. Even at RU11 and other research universities, the entry of foreign students has been delayed for nearly 6 months, and there have been dozens to hundreds of cases in which it is unclear whether they can enter the country. In addition, there are absolutely no prospects for privately funded foreign students.

For privately funded foreign students, universities apply to immigration for a certificate of residence. However, even if the certificate is issued, the embassy is still unable to grant a visa. There are many international students who are paying tuition despite being unable to attend lectures. Although universities are attempting to deliver content virtually, neither students nor institutions know when the former will be able to enter the country because there is little connection between immigration control, visa issuance, and the acceptance of international students at universities and Japanese language schools. Many international students are becoming frustrated, and if this situation continues, their trust in Japan may be eroded. In fact, when comparing 2019 with 2020, the number of international joint studies has decreased to one-third of previous levels, but there is also a situation in which research visas are not being issued, even to foreign researchers invited for mid- to long-term periods. These recommendations call for flexible responses pertaining to certain rules regarding visa issuance and entry for overseas researchers and students (including privately-funded and government-sponsored foreign students) for research and study abroad in order to limit further hindrances to the enhancement of Japan's research capabilities.

Border control measures also cause isolation. Outside the G7 countries, neighboring South Korea received 34,000 foreign students in the first half of this year. Although some foreign students were, of course, infected with COVID-19, there are no cases in which they spread the virus because all infected students were confirmed to be COVID-19 positive during testing, or quarantine procedures were applied upon entry to the country. It is important to thoroughly implement border countermeasures, but unless Japan is able to issue visas quickly and flexibly after establishing temporary quarantine measures and the like, the country will probably be isolated from the rest of the world.