From left, Chen Wu-Fu 陳五福, Frank Hsieh and Chien Miao-Ling 錢妙玲

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Tokyo (東京台灣工商會), the Global Federation of Chinese Business Women Japan Branch (世界華人工商婦女企管協會日本分會), and other overseas Chinese groups donated 6,600 masks for Taiwanese students in Japan. Frank Hsieh, Representative at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan (TECRO Japan) accepted the donation on behalf of the students. The first shipment arrived on April 7, 2020 and the masks were immediately delivered to the Taiwanese student associations of universities in Tokyo which then distributed them to the students.

The new academic year starts in April in Japan and many Taiwanese students were concerned because they were unable to buy masks to protect themselves. The Education Division of TECRO Japan had therefore conducted a survey about the need for masks for the Taiwanese students through the network of Taiwanese student associations.

Students who are attending universities or schools that don’t have a Taiwanese student association can apply for masks online through the website of TECRO Japan, and the Facebook page of the Tokyo Taiwanese Student Association, and the Education Division delivers the masks to individual students very rapidly, using the postal service. Once a student fills out the application form, their masks will arrive the very next day.

Moreover, to help students to stay healthy from COVID-19, the Education Division has prepared "New coronavirus Q&A for Taiwanese students in Japan" which provides practical and accurate information. Students can access it through their Taiwanese student associations and Tokyo Taiwanese Student Association platforms.

The Education Division hopes that these measures will all help Taiwanese students in Japan be able to stay healthy and continue their studies safely.