Japan Resumes Student Exchanges with Russia After 7 Years

Japan will resume sending university students to Russia for short-term study programs from August, ending a seven-year suspension caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry said around 15 Russian-language students will travel to St Petersburg, where they will spend about 10 days attending language courses and meeting local students.

The decision has faced domestic criticism due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, the ministry said Japan's policy towards Russia, including its sanctions regime, remains unchanged despite strained bilateral relations.

Officials stressed the importance of maintaining people-to-people exchanges, saying that future generations need opportunities to learn each other's languages and build connections.

The Japan-Russia youth exchange program was launched in 1999 following an agreement between the two countries. By the end of 2019, around 9,000 young people from Japan and Russia had participated.

The program was suspended after the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Japan later eased its travel advisory for Russia in September, allowing travel under limited circumstances, including essential business and study-related visits.