Infectious disease communication for international students: A survey of association-accredited Japanese language schools in Japan

Abstract

Japanese language schools are in daily contact with many newly arrived international students, yet little is known about how they obtain and communicate infectious disease information. In February–March 2025, we mailed a newly developed questionnaire to all 103 Japanese language schools accredited by the Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education; 38 (36.9%) responded. Of the responding schools, 32/38 (84%) had an infirmary, and 7/38 (18%) had a staff member designated for health matters. In total, 29/38 (76%) collected infectious disease information, mainly from government sources via websites (22/29, 76%). Of all schools, 32/38 (84%) provided information to students; among these, 22/32 (69%) used plain Japanese and 18/32 (56%) used students' native languages, most often through explanations during classes (25/32, 78%). Among schools providing information, reported challenges included language barriers (14/32, 44%), cultural differences as perceived by staff (11/32, 34%), and confirming students' understanding (10/32, 31%). These exploratory institutional observations suggest that ready-to-use materials in plain Japanese and students' languages, and closer links with local public health centers, could be considered; their usefulness for students warrants further evaluation.