Education minister Shinsuke Suematsu speaks at a press conference in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on the evening of Dec. 27, 2021. (Mainichi/Natsuki Nishi)

       TOKYO -- People in Japan who have come into close contact with those who have been infected with the omicron variant of the coronavirus can sit for entrance exams to national, public and private universities in rooms separate from the general test-taking population if they do not have any symptoms, education minister Shinsuke Suematsu revealed Dec. 27.

       The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology amended its guidelines on entrance exams on Dec. 24, and had notified universities that it would not allow applicants who had come into close contact with those who had the omicron variant of the coronavirus to take entrance exams -- whether or not they had symptoms. The ministry, however, retracted its decision after college applicants and others expressed anxiety and objections amid confirmation of community-acquired infections across various parts of the country.

       On the night of Dec. 27, Suematsu held an impromptu press conference at the ministry and apologized. "The department in charge should have taken more time to deliberate the matter," he said. "It is my understanding that discussion was insufficient."

       The education ministry will once again review the guidelines and allow such college applicants to take exams in rooms separate from other test takers. Like those who have come into close contact with people with other variants of the coronavirus, exam takers must fulfill conditions including testing negative on a PCR test, having no symptoms on the day of the exam, and refraining from taking public transportation to their exam site. In addition, rules on junior high and senior high school entrance exams are set to be based on these rules. The National Center for University Entrance Examinations is also expected to allow people to take unified university entrance exams on Jan. 15 and 16.

       The Japanese government requests that people who have come into close contact with those with the omicron variant quarantine at special accommodations and other locations for 14 days. The education ministry initially notified all universities that in the case that someone is asked to quarantine, they be given a chance to take the entrance exams at a later date, regardless of whether they had any symptoms.

       The education ministry had been holding discussions with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and medical experts regarding the amendment of guidelines regarding entrance exams. Suematsu said that because the unified university entrance exams were fast approaching, "there was a rush to get the guidelines out as soon as possible to prevent confusion in the New Year," which led to the amendments being finalized and sent to universities on Dec. 24.

       However, once the ministry's announcement went out, criticism that there had been little consideration made for college applicants grew on Twitter and elsewhere. There were those inside the government who warned that if something was not done, "things would turn into a big mess."

       There was a possibility that the issue would affect the administration's approval ratings. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed his concern on Dec. 26 that "college applicants are feeling anxious," and immediately instructed Suematsu to devise a solution, including preparing separate rooms for various applicants.

       A source tied to the government criticized the way the situation was handled by the education ministry as not making use of lessons from 2021, because the issue of college entrance exam takers without any symptoms who had been in close contact with coronavirus patients had been a point of debate in the last round of entrance exams.

       In the college entrance exams that were held in the 2020 academic year, the education ministry at first announced that it would not allow those who had come into close contact with people who had the virus to take entrance exams, and were in the midst of their 14-day health-monitoring period. Later, however, the ministry consulted with the government's coronavirus measures subcommittee and decided to allow applicants to take exams in separate rooms after fulfilling certain conditions, such as testing negative on a PCR test. It was a response that guaranteed the chance to apply for universities while giving consideration to the fact that applicants were anxious, and taking measures to prevent infections from spreading.

       But when it came to its response to the omicron variant, the ministry reverted to its old ways. It did not seek an opinion from the prime minister's office. One government official said, "Missteps in dealing with entrance exams can deliver a devastating blow to the administration. That had been what the lesson from the debate over entrance exam reform was all about."

       (Japanese original by Kohei Chiwaki, Richi Tanaka and Akira Okubo, Tokyo City News Department)

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