Have a Nice Winter Holiday Season

A message from the President

December 21, 2022

Dear Students of Waseda University,

I send you warm greetings as we begin the winter holidays. As the New Year approaches, I would like to thank you for the restraint you showed in social and athletic activities during 2022.

At Waseda University, we have been able to maintain face-to-face classes in nearly 70 per cent of courses throughout this academic year, just as we did during the last academic year. Consequently, we have successfully avoided the spread of COVID-19 on our campuses. In the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area, however, the omicron variants (BA.5, BQ.1.1, and others) have been spreading rapidly.

We expect that you are planning to enjoy a variety of events during this winter holiday season. Waseda University now allows you to hold meetings including meals, so long as you pay careful attention to prevent infections from the virus.

Remember, however, that you cannot be too careful about the coronavirus. Please continue to follow the advice and instructions from the University. When you have a meal at your meeting or party, you should spend as short a time as possible eating, and then you can enjoy talking with your friends while wearing a mask. You should remove your mask only when you sip your drink during your conversations.

Please make sure to wash your hands with soap before eating or drinking. When soap is not available, wash your hands carefully with water. It is known that washing hands frequently and wearing a mask consistently are the most effective ways to prevent infection by the virus.

We wish you a relaxing and enjoyable winter holiday. At the same time, we sincerely hope that in January 2023 all of you return to campus in good health so that you will be able to complete your studies this academic year.

Have a great winter break and a Happy New Year!

Warm wishes,

Aiji Tanaka, President
Waseda University