Chairman Kenichi Arita of the Japan–Taiwan Friendship Association in Kochi Prefecture and four of the six students who received aid

As the COVID-19 outbreak in Japan became more severe, one after another universities adopted online lessons for the rest of this semester. This has naturally had a great impact on life for foreign students studying in Japan. For example, there has been a decrease in part-time job opportunities due to store closures which has affected their income and caused an increased psychological burden and anxiety.

The  Japan–Taiwan Friendship Association in Kochi Prefecture is very grateful to the Taiwan government, private entities in Taiwan, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Osaka for generous donations of medical supplies for frontline medical personnel doing pandemic prevention work, special education schools, and other units in Japan, including Kochi prefecture, and so the association has provided special aid of JPY30,000 per person to six Taiwanese students currently studying in Kochi University, in order to help them concentrate on their studies with peace of mind.

Kenichi Arita, the Chairman of the Japan–Taiwan Friendship Association in Kochi Prefecture encouraged the students to keep thinking positively, study hard, and take good advantage of studying in Japan, while living in these pandemic prevention times. He also expressed hope that they will each make a contribution to their home country with what they are learning and act as bridges between Taiwan and Japan in the future.