Education Ministry Issues Notice to Japanese Schools in China to Ensure Safety as Tension Rises over PM Takaichi’s Taiwan Remark

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:27 JST, November 19, 2025

A notice has been issued to educational facilities such as Japanese schools in China and universities sending Japanese students to China, urging them to ensure the safety of their pupils and students, by the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry on Tuesday.

This response comes amid heightened tensions between Japan and China over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s statements about a Taiwan contingency and a “survival-threating” situation for Japan.

A total of 3,133 Japanese students were studying at Chinese universities on mainly short-term study abroad programs from Japanese universities in fiscal 2023, according to the ministry. For long-term programs in 2022, 7,078 Japanese students were enrolled in Chinese universities.

“We have decided to take measures to ensure the safety of pupils, students, their families, and faculty and staff in China,” education minister Yohei Matsumoto said at a press conference following a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.