Latest news with #ToshikoAbe
The Independent
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Japan joins China in trying to lure foreign students from US after Trump's visa crackdown
Japan has asked its universities to consider accepting international students affected by the Donald Trump administration's decision to block Harvard from enrolling foreigners. Toshiko Abe, the education minister, has asked universities nationwide to report, within a week, possible support measures for both Japanese and international students affected by the Trump administration's move to restrict foreign enrolment at Harvard. 'We have asked universities to consider possible support measures such as accepting international students enrolled in US universities so that the students can continue their studies,' Ms Abe said on Tuesday. There are 110 students and 150 researchers from Japan at Harvard. In all, around 16,000 Japanese students are enrolled in American institutions, according to The Japan Times. International students make up 27 per cent of Harvard's student body, totalling about 6,800. Ms Abe said her ministry would do its 'utmost to ensure young people with ambition and talent can continue their studies'. A few days ago, China extended 'unconditional offers' to foreign students at Harvard after the US government revoked the university's certification to enrol international students, effectively forcing thousands of them to transfer to other colleges or face losing legal status in the US. Mr Trump's homeland security secretary Kristi Noem justified the decision by accusing Harvard of 'fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party '. The department said the move followed Harvard's refusal to hand over information Noem had asked for about certain foreign student visa holders. The move represented a sharp escalation of the administration's campaign against Harvard University, one of its most prominent institutional targets. Harvard denounced the move as illegal and retaliatory and pledged to support the affected students. 'This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard's academic and research mission,' the university said in a statement. On Monday, the administration threatened to divert $3bn in grants from Harvard to trade schools. Although a federal judge late last week temporarily blocked the ban and set a hearing for 29 May, Harvard's international students say they face ongoing uncertainty. The temporary injunction allows them to remain at the university for now, but they must consider whether to transfer to another US institution to preserve their visa status in case Harvard loses the legal battle or finish their studies abroad. It is against this backdrop that a growing number of overseas universities, particularly in Asia, are stepping in to offer the affected students transfer opportunities. Top institutions in Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, and Malaysia have begun actively inviting these students to continue their studies there, offering streamlined admissions, academic support, and credit transfers. The University of Tokyo, one of Japan's most prestigious institutions, is considering temporarily accepting international students from Harvard affected by the US government's ban, according to Kyodo News. The university has prior experience with providing such support, having hosted displaced students and researchers from Ukraine in 2022. A spokesperson for Kyoto University, another prestigious institution, told AFP on Wednesday that it was considering accepting young researchers from US universities and assessing ways to assist Japanese students currently in America. Last week, Hong Kong education secretary Christine Choi called on universities in the Chinese city to welcome 'outstanding students from all over the world'. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on 23 May issued 'an open invitation to international undergraduate and postgraduate students currently enrolled at Harvard University, as well as those holding confirmed offers for Harvard degree programmes, to continue their academic pursuits at HKUST'. The university said it was 'extending this opportunity to ensure talented students can pursue their educational goals without disruption'. The City University of Hong Kong said it was 'extending support to international students facing academic disruption, inviting them to continue their education in Hong Kong'. In Malaysia, Sunway University CEO Elizabeth Lee said it was ready to welcome Harvard's international students for 'immediate transfer'. 'Dear Sunway and other international students at Harvard, I am truly sorry to hear you're all caught in a bind with the US Department of Homeland Security 's recent announcement that Harvard would lose its Student and Exchange Visitor Programme certification, which places the university's current and incoming international students at serious risk of losing their legal right of passage and abode in the USA,' she wrote on LinkedIn. 'You're most welcome to immediately transfer to us at Sunway Education. We can directly take any students who are affected into our range of programmes at Sunway University. We have a partnership with the Arizona State University where we can work on the transfer of all your credits earned from Harvard to ASU, or even to any of our own Sun-U degree programmes which can also earn you additional British certification from Lancaster University.' Macau 's Education and Youth Development Bureau has urged local universities to offer transfer support to students affected by the situation. In a statement released on Saturday, the bureau confirmed it had reached out to Macanese students at Harvard to provide assistance. 'I believe that Macau's universities are strong and attractive,' Pang Chuan, Macau University of Science and Technology vice president told local news outlet TDM. 'Now we need to let these students know that Macau is willing and able to help them, and the credits they earned at Harvard can be transferred to universities here.' Analysts have warned that Mr Trump's crackdown on academic institutions could diminish the global prestige of American higher education and accelerate the shift of top talent to Asia. Simon Marginson, a professor of higher education at Oxford University and founding director of the Center for Global Higher Education, told Time: 'Harvard attracts some very, very good people from all over the world, so it hurts the university quite substantially to lose that talent.' He said universities in Asia, which have steadily climbed the global rankings in STEM disciplines, stood to gain significantly, especially given that a substantial portion of international students in the US came from Asia. Meanwhile, secretary of state Marco Rubio on Wednesday announced that the Trump administration would 'aggressively' revoke visas of Chinese students – key contributors to American university revenues – especially those studying sensitive subjects or found linked to the Communist Party of China.
India Today
28-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Japanese universities may accept students displaced by US-Harvard row
In the wake of recent actions by the Trump government against Harvard University, the Japanese state has stepped in, calling on local universities to accept international students who have been expelled from Harvard and other universities or whose visa status has been Education Minister Toshiko Abe said on Monday, May 26, that her ministry has asked universities across Japan to consider accepting students already studying at US universities, particularly those caught in the crossfire of the ongoing legal fight between Harvard and the United States have asked universities to consider possible support measures like taking international students in US universities so that the students are able to continue their studies," Abe said at a press conference. She continued by saying that Japan will do all that it can to make it possible for talented and ambitious youth not to drop studies. The action comes on the heels of the Trump administration's attempt last week to ban Harvard from admitting foreign students, charging the university with defying federal authority over admissions and faculty hiring. The action was halted by a judge on May 23 until a hearing in Trump has also criticised Harvard vociferously for promoting "woke" liberal ideology and anti-Semitism -- claims which have sparked fierce reactions at home and AMONGST STUDENTS AND RESEARCHERS GLOBALLYadvertisementJapan, in which the United States is the top destination for foreign students, has seen rising anxiety among students and parents regarding the future of premier universities are also taking action. The University of Tokyo is planning to take in affected students temporarily, Vice-President Kaori Hayashi said.A Kyoto University spokesperson further stated that it is searching for means to take in students and researchers affected in the a similar act of benevolence, Hong Kong's Education Secretary Christine Choi has recently made an appeal to Hong Kong universities to take in outstanding international rest of the world is now watching as legal proceedings in the US drag out. In the meantime, Japan appears poised to play second fiddle to student players caught in the middle of politics.(WITH INPUTS FROM AFP)Must Watch
Japan Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Japanese universities urged to open doors to students blocked from Harvard
Japan's education ministry has asked universities nationwide to consider accepting or supporting students who may no longer be able to study in the U.S. as President Donald Trump moves to block Harvard University from enrolling international students. Universities on Tuesday were also asked to report within a week measures they could take for both Japanese and non-Japanese students who are affected by the Trump administration's push against foreign enrollments at Harvard. According to the ministry, there are 110 students and 150 researchers from Japan currently at Harvard. Combined with those at other universities, there are about 16,000 Japanese students in the U.S. International students number 6,800 at Harvard, or 27% of its total enrollment. 'The U.S. is the biggest destination for Japanese students studying abroad,' education minister Toshiko Abe told reporters Tuesday. 'We are committed to ensuring, in collaboration with related agencies, that motivated and talented young people can continue their studies.' A list of support measures for students will be announced on the website of the ministry-affiliated Japan Student Services Organization in the near future, officials said. Non-Japanese students may also be included in the support measures, but the decision on whom to accept is up to each recipient institution, they added. Some universities have already begun making preparations. The University of Tokyo, which accepted about 20 Ukrainian students fleeing war in 2022, is planning "to assist talented students whose studies have been disrupted by external factors, whether or not their home institution is Harvard University," Kaori Hayashi, executive vice president in charge of international affairs and diversity at UTokyo, wrote in an email. The initiative will be open to students regardless of nationality, she added. The students would not be enrolled as degree-seeking students but will be issued academic transcripts so that credits taken at the university can be recognized at other institutions in the future, the university said, noting that details of the program, including the start date, scale and duration are still being worked out. Nagoya University said it is committed to accepting non-degree seeking students, regardless of nationality. The officials added they are also considering accepting degree-seeking students, though much is still under discussion. "However, as with other Japanese universities, Nagoya University has strict quotas on the number of undergraduate students who can be admitted to degree-seeking programs," the university said in a statement. "If the quotas can be adjusted, we are hoping to contribute more." The fates of Harvard's international students remain unclear. The Trump administration has told Harvard that the students must transfer to another institution or lose their legal status, on the grounds that the university is fostering antisemitism on campus. Harvard has filed a legal challenge against the U.S. government over the move, and a district court has preliminarily ruled in its favor. A hearing has been set for Thursday to determine whether the temporary order should be extended. Ryo Hotta, a Japanese pediatric surgeon and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, said Trump's move has put the fate of a Japanese medical student who was planning to join his lab in the summer in limbo. 'The visa application process has suddenly come to a halt, so we are currently watching the situation,' Hotta said, adding that he is worried the move may not be limited to Harvard. 'It could have a domino effect on other universities.' Hotta has a green card and will not be affected by the visa ban. Worries of Trump's move against Harvard spreading may not be unfounded. Politico reported Tuesday that the Trump administration is considering vetting the social media accounts of foreign students applying to study in the U.S., and, as part of that, is ordering U.S. embassies and consular sections to pause scheduling new interviews for student visa applications. When asked about the Politico report, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters Wednesday that Japan will "aim to continue close communication with the U.S. to grasp the situation and act appropriately.' Hiroshi Ota, a professor and international education expert at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo who spent a year at Harvard as a visiting scholar until last year, said he is more worried about students who plan to go to the U.S. than those who are already there since the visa application process for the new school year will get into full swing in June. While thousands of U.S. student visas were initially terminated earlier this year, the Trump administration announced in April that it would restore their statuses as the number of lawsuits filed by students against the policy surged, Ota said. To challenge a case where an interview for a new visa is suspended would be quite difficult, he added. 'This is no longer just about Harvard,' he said. On the education ministry's call for universities to accept students from the U.S., Ota said Japan should not rush into anything and instead work to create a framework that will allow such students to pursue a degree in Japan, if they wish to do so. Gabriele Ninivaggi contributed to this report.
IOL News
28-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Japan urges universities to accept students in US
Japanese Education Minister Toshiko Abe said that her ministry has asked Japanese universities to do what they can to help those affected. Image: Pexels The Japanese government has asked local universities to consider accepting students at US universities as President Donald Trump seeks to force Harvard to submit to unprecedented oversight. The Trump administration moved last week to block Harvard from enrolling foreign students, but last week a judge suspended the order pending a hearing. Trump is furious at Harvard for rejecting Washington's oversight on admissions and hiring, amid his claims the school is a hotbed of anti-Semitism and "woke" liberal ideology. Japanese Education Minister Toshiko Abe said that her ministry has asked Japanese universities to do what they can to help those affected. "We have asked universities to consider possible support measures such as accepting international students enrolled in US universities so that the students can continue their studies," she told a press conference. She said the United States is the most popular destination for Japanese students wishing to study abroad, and many of them have voiced worries about their status. She said her ministry will do its "utmost to ensure that young people with ambition and talent can continue their studies." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading The University of Tokyo, among the Japan's most prestigious universities, is considering accepting affected students in the US, albeit on temporary basis, the university's vice president Kaori Hayashi said in a recent interview with the Nikkei newspaper. A spokesman for Kyoto University, also an elite school, told AFP on Wednesday that the institution was considering accepting young researchers from US universities and was also reviewing what it can do to help students in the US. Last week, Hong Kong Education Secretary Christine Choi called on universities there to welcome "outstanding students from all over the world". AFP
27-05-2025
- Politics
Japanese Universities Asked to Help Int'l Students at Harvard
News from Japan Culture May 27, 2025 18:44 (JST) Tokyo, May 27 (Jiji Press)--Japan's education ministry Tuesday asked all domestic universities to consider accepting international students at Harvard University following the notification by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump of the revocation of the U.S. institute's right to enroll foreign students. "In cooperation with the Foreign Ministry, we are asking the U.S. government to provide information on the specific impacts on foreign students and the university's response," education minister Toshiko Abe told a news conference. "We are asking domestic universities to consider possible support measures to ensure that (foreign) students (at Harvard) can continue their studies." In the request, the ministry noted that the United States is the largest destination for Japanese students learning abroad and that the U.S. administration's latest move is drawing concerns from students. It also asked domestic universities to consider measures to support non-U.S. students at institutes other than Harvard as well who find it difficult to study in the United States and also to provide information on specific measures they are planning to take or have already introduced. The University of Tokyo has launched discussions on temporarily accepting international students at Harvard. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
