January 8, 2021
Updated: February 5, 2021

Takafumi Sakai
President, Saitama University

Dear Saitama University Students,

Due to the Declaration of the State of Emergency by the Japanese government and of Saitama Prefecture’s emergency measure, the university has been restricting students’ access to SU Okubo campus and extracurricular activities on and off campus from Friday, January 8 to Sunday, February 7. This is to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 viral transmission, and to protect the health of students. 

In accordance with the “Declaration of Emergency Situation” issued by the government on February 2, 2021, the Governor of Saitama Prefecture issued the “Emergency Measures in Saitama Prefecture after February 8, 2021″ on February 4, 2021, thus we extend the period of emergency measures until March 7, 2021.

In the following cases, however, students may enter by obtaining our prior approval.

(1) Class
lasses will continue to be conducted face-to-face if the instructor deems it necessary.

(2) Research
permission will be given in the following cases when the supervising professor deems it necessary.
  a. When experiments conducted by undergraduate/graduate students who are expected to graduate in March 2022
  b. When experiments conducted by doctoral students who are expected to graduate in September 2021
  c. When organisms used in experiments need to be maintained and managed
  d. When liquid nitrogen and liquid helium in the equipment needs to be maintained and managed
  e. When chemicals used for research on poisonous and deleterious substances for research need to be maintained and managed
  f. When core infrastructure (experimental equipment and facilities, information systems, etc.) for research need to be in operation, maintained and managed
  g. To provide assistance with various safety measures to ensure the continuation of research activities
  h. All other cases in which it is particularly necessary to conduct research, etc.

(3) To borrow academic materials at SU library

(4) For extracurricular activities if it is deemed necessary by SU

(5) When called by staffs of the university

When entering the campus, please carry your student ID card with you at all times so that you can present it in response to the request from staffs. In the case of research activities, approval from the dean or from the head of graduate school through your supervisor must be obtained in advance and must carry the approved email with you to present it upon request.

It is known that young, college-aged adults tend to have few or no symptoms and spread the infection without knowing it; therefore, we ask students to (1) refrain from going out unnecessarily, (2) refrain from traveling across prefectural borders, (3) refrain from attending meetings that involve dining, and (4) Refrain from going out after 8 p.m. unnecessarily.  Please act with the strong awareness of the importance of “not getting infected” and “not letting others get infected”.

*Please note that this measure is subject to change depending on the situation of the COVID-19 infection in the future.