Universiteit Leiden

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Leiden students in Japan safe and well

Of the 29 students who are still in Japan, the remaining four students in Tokyo have been advised to leave the area affected by the disaster.

Nine Leiden students were originally studying for their master's in Tokyo. Five have already returned to the Netherlands, and two of the remaining four will be flying back to the Netherlands on 19 March. The last two Leiden students have been advised  to take the next possible flight out of Tokyo back to the Netherlands.

Students in Kyoto, Okinawa and Tokyo

Two bachelor’s students studying in Yamagata are currently staying in Kyoto and Okinawa, far outside the affected area. They have been advised not to return to the university in Yamagata for the time being, and if staying elsewhere is no longer an option, to fly back to the Netherlands. In issuing this advice, Leiden University is following the travel advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: travelling and staying in the Japanese affected areas are strongly discouraged. This applies to the Kanto region around Tokyo and the areas north and north-east of Tokyo.

Personal contact

The 36 Leiden students who are staying in Japan this semester for their studies include 16 bachelor’s and 20 master’s students, primarily students from the Languages and Cultures of Japan Department. Leiden University has had personal contact with all the students, and they are all safe and well. The bachelor’s students were expected to remain in Japan until September; the master’s students were due to return to the Netherlands in April, when their semester ends. Once the nine students have left Tokyo, there will be 25 students left in Japan, of whom two are due to return next week. The 23 remaining students are staying elsewhere in Japan, in areas that have not been affected.

‘Follow the news’

The University has urgently requested the students who are currently staying in non-affected areas not to travel to the affected areas. They have been advised to remain in contact with their family in the Netherlands and with Leiden University, and to closely follow the news reports through the Dutch Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Leiden students who were about to leave for the affected area, including Tokyo, have been emphatically advised not to leave but wait for news first. Eighteen Leiden master’s students were due to leave for Japan on 1 April. Eight of them were headed for the affected area; ten were going to a non-risk zone.

Meeting

Leiden University would like, through the intermediary of the Executive Board, to express its sympathy for the students and staff members involved in this disaster, here and in Japan. This applies also to students of Japanese origin studying in Leiden who have family in the affected area, as well as the local population. The Executive Board wishes them all every strength. Leiden University is organising a meeting on 22 March specially for Japanese students, who will be offered help from student psychologists

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