Podcast

Students delay study plans in Japan

Updated: 2011-03-25 10:57

進入英語學習論壇下載音頻   去聽寫專區一展身手

Many Chinese students are putting their overseas study plans on hold to avoid possible radioactive contamination from the recent nuclear emergency in Japan.

"I'm not clear about the consequences of Japan's radioactive contamination, so I'm considering other options at the moment," said 22-year-old Xu Lu, a senior at Peking University, who received an enrollment notice from the University of Tokyo before the emergency.

During the 16th China International Education Exhibition Tour in Shanghai on March 19, several universities in Tokyo stated they were far from the earthquake-stricken areas, local media reported.

They hoped to reduce the anxiety and attract more Chinese students to study in Japan.

Zhang Jiyao, a 27-year-old Shanghai native who just finished his studies at Senshu University in Japan, chose to return to Shanghai immediately after the graduation ceremony.

"My intention was to stay there for another half-year, looking for jobs," he said. "However, considering the recent nuclear emergencies, I don't feel comfortable staying there."

Zhang said many of his friends who had not yet finished their studies were brought home by their parents after the emergency.

Shen Junyao, a senior consultant at China SOOS, a Shanghai-based overseas education agency, said the number of overseas students to Japan will not be affected much after the earthquake.

"Lots of students and their parents are worried about the current situation in Japan, so we suggest they wait and see," she said.

"But Japan is the only country that uses Japanese, and considering its economic status, it still has a huge attraction to Chinese students compared to Korea and Singapore."

去聽寫專區一展身手

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is also fluent in Korean.