Center for International EducationWaseda University

From Waseda

For Your Safety

Basic Rules: Be independent! You are the one who can deal with unexpected incidents.
You must be prepared to deal with unexpected problems while abroad including the possibility of terrorism, theft, sickness, injury, negligence or compensation for loss by debt default. Take extra precautions and be independent to ensure your safety.

Choosing and researching the country you would like to study

You need to collect information about the security, crime, health, diseases, medication, manners, customs, nationality, laws and regulations of the country you wish to study as well as checking studying abroad programs. Please obtain the latest information. See below.

Preparation before studying abroad

  1. Join “the overseas travel insurance” and submit “the emergency contact information in the host country” to CIE.
  2. Keep copies of your passport, credit card, airline tickets, Travelers Checks, insurance number and etc. separately from your originals.
  3. Make a list of contact numbers for emergencies or accidents like having your valuables stolen. (the numbers of the Embassy, Consulate, local police, a company of credit card, airlines and insurance and university)
  4. Make a medical report in English or the local language in case you have a chronic illness.
  5. Make an Emergency Card.
  6. Join an overseas rental mobile phone
  7. Register “Tabireg”
    https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/index.html
    (an email newsletter issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on overseas travel)
    Tabireg is a system intended for people going abroad on personal or business trips where you will receive emails on emergency situations and the latest information about flying to the country you will be staying in.

The program cancellation or evacuation advice during the middle of the program

You may obtain very detailed risk-related information from the list of regions provided by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website. You will find the latest information on security, frequently-occurred incidents and what you should do in those cases and the database from the past is also available. The information about the current security situation is divided into four levels as below. Studying abroad to the regions where the following advice is issued before or during the programs, Waseda University may postpone traveling there, cancel the programs or advice evacuation. You can obtain the information through e-mail, on the CIE website or from the host university’s person in charge.

  • Travel with prudence
    This indicates that Japanese nationals traveling or residing in the relevant countries or regions should stay alert and avoid every danger.
  • Considering whether or not to travel
    Traveling to the relevant countries or regions should be carefully examined. In case you decide to travel, take enough safety measures.
  • Travel postponement recommended
    Traveling to the relevant countries or regions should be postponed with no exception. For Japanese nationals residing in the relevant places, departing there should be considered or prepared.
  • Evacuation advice
    All Japanese residents are advised to evacuate from the relevant countries or regions to safer countries or regions, including returning to Japan.

During the program

  1. Let people know where you are! Submit the Foreign Residency Report (Zairyu Todoke) to Japanese Embassy or Consulate.
    Make sure to notify your family (in/outside of Japan including your host family), friends (in/outside of Japan), a contact person at your host university and Japanese diplomatic office in the host country about where you are. You should inform your address whenever you change it (including traveling while holidays even for a short period of time). According to the Article 16 of the Passport Law, you must submit the Foreign Residency Report (Zairyu Todoke) immediately to the Japanese Embassy or Consulate in case you stay in a foreign country more than three months. The Japanese Embassy and Consulate assist you based on the address and emergency contact information on the report.https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/
  2. Do’s and Don’ts while Abroad
    Do’s and Don’ts while Abroad Avoid risk. Please be aware that you are in a foreign country and not in Japan. (Be especially aware of the security situation.) You should pay extra attention to your surroundings, especially when you are off-campus. Stay away from the dangerous areas (contact your host university and get the information). Do not walk alone after dark, do not carry more cash than you need, think thoroughly before taking any actions, stay away from drug users, do not trust strangers easily and so on.
    Driving cars or motorcycles while overseas
    Driving cars or motorcycles will not be prohibited, however, students will be held responsible for any accidents or problems according to the laws of the region in which they drive. Among other things, students will have responsibility for the following:

    • Abiding by all traffic laws of the region in which you drive
    • Injuries, medical treatment, damages, compensation to third parties, etc.
    • Lawsuits resulting from traffic accidents
  3. Unpredictable Accidents and Disasters
    Please contact the Japanese Embassy and Consulate General and follow their instructions in case of emergency. Contact your family, your host University and Waseda University if possible. Waseda University issues warnings or advises the students to evacuate through e-mail, which you submitted at the time of application (Waseda email) or CIE website. Check those and follow the instructions.
  4. “Hi, it’s me” swindle
    You may have heard about the Be careful swindlers (e.g. “Hi, it’s me” swindle). Many have been tricked by this lately. Some families have received a call while their sons/daughters are abroad. Swindlers choose the families because they knew the families cannot contact their sons/daughters as easy as if they were in Japan. Talk with your family about this before your departure and take extra precautions.

Example case: “Help! I have to pay off debts.”

A father received a call from his daughter who was studying in the U.K. She told him, “I’m in London now and I’ve been threatened to pay off the debts immediately” in urgent voice. She suddenly hung up the phone after telling him that a creditor was going to talk to him. After that, a man from “XX finance” gave him a call and pressed him to pay her debts off. He was so worried about his daughter. He ended up transferring 950,000 yen to an account specified by the swindler.

There have been many other “stories” reported. Swindlers make up stories that you had in a car accidents, you in trouble with a gang. Lately, the swindler incidents have been related to fraud. If you should receive such a call, don’t get upset and think calmly for a while. Otherwise you may end up getting tricked. To avoid this, it is very important for you to contact your family, friends and others regularly and keep them inform how you are doing and let them know your latest address, phone number and other relevant information.

Waseda University contact flow for the emergency

Business hours: Weekdays from 9:00 to 17:00, Saturday from 9:00 to 14:00 (Except for the summer/winter vacations)
Contact information in case of an emergency: to be announced after selected.

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