Japan's education minister Hagiuda Koichi says he will ask universities to let foreign students attend extra classes to make up for lost opportunities to study because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Japanese government plans to ease entry restrictions on arrivals from all countries and territories starting in October. Foreign students and businesspeople will be allowed to enter.
The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a delay in such students joining Japanese universities, sparking concerns they may fall behind in their studies.
Hagiuda told reporters on Tuesday he will request that universities offer supplementary lessons and other support for students from abroad.
Hagiuda said he understands that such measures could be a burden on universities. He said the education ministry is willing to support reasonable efforts such as online classes by covering communication expenses.
