Despite optimism amid international students returning to Japan, the number of Japanese outbound students abroad dropped a staggering 98% in 2020, statistics have revealed.

A new process is being introduced where international students waiting to enter Japan will be “prioritised”, the country’s PM Fumio Kishida announced on March 3.

Over half of foreign students in Japan responding to a survey said that their mental health “significantly declined” because of their inability to re-enter the country for study.

The Japanese government continues to face backlash as students and wellbeing groups push for “a timeline as soon as possible”, with stakeholders citing "extreme disappointment" at the sluggishness of policy changes.