[Japanese version: 【まとめ】今なにをしてよい？してはいけない？　緊急事態宣言下でのわたしたちの行動]
[Chinese version: 各位留学生?看：在?急事?宣言中我??怎?度?？来自???的助言]

On April 7, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency. This covers seven prefectures of Japan including Hyogo, and it will last until May 6.

School information is distributed in a piecemeal fashion with each faculty posting information at a different time, so you may be confused.

How should we spend this time while protecting ourselves? The following is a summary of the information so far.

“University’s statement: Stay at home and minimize outings”

On April 7, Kobe University President Hiroshi Takeda posted an urgent message on the school’s website.

(Kobe University’s State of Emergency measures: https://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/NEWS/info/2020_04_08_01.html)(English)

In this statement, he issued the following instructions.

– In principle, students should stay at home and refrain from going outside for unnecessary and non-urgent reasons.
– Faculty and staff members should work from home where possible.

Freshmen may not know but the president hardly ever releases this kind of urgent statement. This means the message is very important.

For now, online classes are being held for sophomores and older students in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in the School of Medicine. (As of noon on April 8)

“Hyogo Prefecture: Refrain from going back to parents’ home, having a party, etc.”

Hyogo Prefecture has also published a lengthy statement. The summary is as follows.

You can
– go out to buy groceries and other necessities
– go to medical facilities
– exercise outside

However, please refrain from nonessential and non-urgent outings, especially to
– crowded areas such as Tokyo and Osaka
– Izakaya and Karaoke
– parents’ home and tourist spots outside of Hyogo.

(Hyogo Prefectural measures on the Coronavirus Infections: https://web.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/kk03/0407coronataisyohoushin.html#coronataisyohoushin2) (Japanese)

“Students easily get ‘flamed'”

It has been noted that some people, especially the young, with the coronavirus show no symptoms and may unknowingly give it to others. The community is now very strict about how students behave.

On April 6, it was reported that “three Kobe University students tested positive for the coronavirus after returning from a trip to Germany.” Then, “Travel to Germany” jumped to No. 20 on Twitter’s national trend list within just an hour. Many Internet users blamed the university. In other words, it got “flamed.”

In addition, at Kyoto Sangyo University, three graduates who had returned from a trip to Europe even before the government required them to stay at their homes were infected, and a group infection occurred at farewell parties of their research groups and of their clubs. It caused the spread of the disease in Kansai. The school received a barrage of threats such as “gimme the addresses of these infected students” and “I’m gonna set the university on fire”. It was reported that students, graduates and staff at the university were treated as follows.
– Fired from a part-time job
– Turned away from a restaurant
– Asked to attend the initiation ceremony alone.
– Staff member’s child was turned away from kindergarten

(Sankei Shimbun, “Murder threat phone calls and emails to Kyoto Sangyo University because of COVID-19 group infection”: https://www.sankei.com/west/news/200407/wst2004070025-n1.html) (Japanese)
(MBS “Kyoto Sangyo University slandered by defamatory calls saying ‘kill you’, ‘set you on fire’ … some students denied entry to dining hall”: https://www.mbs.jp/news/kansainews/20200408/GE00032463.shtml) (Japanese)

Imagine seniors who are looking for a job.
If the news of “Kobe University students…” spreads, they will be blamed harshly, saying, “What is your university doing?

Let’s recall together that Ken Shimura, a Japanese famous comedian, has passed away.
If you infect others because of your action, you will surely regret it.

“What to prepare until May? Internet connection”

People may start to get upset, “When will this self-isolation end? What should we do?” There is still something to be done during this time at home.
It was announced that almost all faculties at Kobe University is going to hold online classes. When the requests from the government are gradually loosened, this online teaching will be in full swing.
For this, you need to have a stable, unlimited network in your home. Think about it, is it okay to rely on mobile Wi-Fi?
At present, Internet service providers are very busy because of a great demand for telecommute and online classes. Not only universities, but also elementary and secondary schools are teaching online.
Even if you contract with a provider now, it will take at least two or three weeks to have Internet connection. Hurry up and get ready.

(Reference: Get home Internet ASAP, great demand for online classes (Including telephone numbers of providers): https://blog.goo.ne.jp/kobe_u_media/e/571d0e740f4aec2e4f0da1a0e2ca2acf (Japanese))

“What about club activities?”

For now, everyone can’t be able to take any classes directly or do any extracurricular activities for a while at least until early May. Those who are in charge of recruiting new members to club activities are facepalming. (How many times do I have to update the welcome events schedule!?)
Studying, joining clubs, working part-time, and finding a job are all important things in college life. So it is essential to choose club activities that you like.

First of all, let’s do some research on the clubs you want to join. The “Online Welcome Festival” website is available: (https://kobe.kubc.jp/WelcomingFes/) (Japanese) More than 170 clubs have introduced their activities on it. If you have questions, you can ask them via email or Twitter DM.
Also, how about watching their introduction videos and talking to the members via video call? If you find a good club, just join it!

“Protect your life while the infection spreads among the young”

The most important thing is to not get the coronavirus.
Avoid the “trifecta” of enclosure, denseness and close talks.
If you have a fever or feel under the weather, you can call the Kobe City Novel Coronavirus Specialist Health Information Desk at 078-322-6250 (24-hour service). You should also report it to the school (Academic Affairs Office of the School Department). (You are going to get all kinds of criticism and it will be a pain in the neck if the report is late.)
There have also been cases of young people whose condition worsens after infection. If you have life-threatening symptoms, don’t hesitate to call “119.”

(NHK News, “Spate of serious coronavirus cases among young people” https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20200401/k10012362831000.html) (Japanese)
(Kobe University, “[Summary] Measures against the coronavirus” https://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/NEWS/info/2020_01_29_01.html) (Japanese)
(Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare “Let’s Avoid the ’trifecta’” https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10900000/000614802.pdf) (Japanese)

“A serious disaster since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake”

This is the first time since the Great Hanshin Earthquake 25 years ago that the university has been closed for a long period of time. Even at that time, the graduation ceremony and the entrance ceremony were held, and a new school year began as scheduled. So perhaps this would be the most serious situation since the WWII.

As the proverbs go, “There is no rain that does not stop” and “There is no night that does not break”. (Although the rain will come again and the night will come again, but let’s leave that alone.)
I believe someday we will be able to look back this adversity at ease. I want to keep in mind that it is expected of students to stay social through this difficult time. ＜Deputy Representative of the Kobe University Media Research Club, Shiho Watanabe＞