Dear YNU Students and Faculty Members,

The state of emergency was lifted across Japan on May 25, and the Kanagawa Prefecture relaxed its business suspension request on May 27. Following these governmental actions, we at Yokohama National University are reopening some of the education and research activities where possible based on our assessment that we are at Phase 2 of YNU Action Plans to Prevent the Spread of the Novel Coronavirus. For details, please see the attached table below.
Just as before, we are requested to refrain from moving to other prefectures as much as possible. There remains a risk that the second wave of the outbreak may hit us. Threat of the spread of coronavirus still exists. To move forward, we are expected to adopt a “new lifestyle*,” which was proposed in Analysis of the Response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Recommendations released on May 4 at the Novel Coronavirus Expert Meeting in order to prevent the spread of infection.
We give top priority to ensuring the safety and security of our students and faculty members and will continue education and research activities wherever possible while closely monitoring the coronavirus situation. We would appreciate your continued support and cooperation.
We will keep you posted on updates through this website. Please check regularly.

1. Classes will continue to be held online, in principle, during the Spring Semester ending September 30.
2. Classes necessary for completing their graduation theses or studies (i.e. laboratory experiments, practical training) may be permitted as exceptions. However, they must be held in a shorter time frame and on a smaller scale on condition that thorough measures are taken to prevent the spread of infection.
3. Just as before, students may not enter campus until July 1, in principle, except for those expected to graduate or complete their studies. We may, however, partially relax the restriction based on our reassessment of the circumstances as of mid-June.
4. Just as before, you may borrow books from our university library by post. In mid-June we plan to allow students to borrow and return books necessary for completing their graduation theses or studies only in limited time zones on limited days of the week upon approval of their advising teachers.
5. Extracurricular activities in groups are prohibited on and off campus and facilities on campus may not be used for those activities. Online extra-curricular activities are permitted if above requirements are met.

These measures may change at any time due to the coronavirus situation as well as orders or requests from the Japanese government or the Kanagawa Prefectural Government. Our policy for the fall semester (October 2020-) will be announced by the end of August.

*A “new lifestyle” following the coronavirus pandemic at the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare's website:
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000121431_newlifestyle.html * In Japanese

Yuichi Hasebe
President, Yokohama National University