The Cabinet approved Tuesday a program to provide up to ¥200,000 ($1,900) in a cash handout to each of around 430,000 university and other students in the nation struggling financially to pay for tuition or living costs amid the spread of the new coronavirus.

The support measure comes as the pandemic has led to business closures in many regions, and forced students to suspend or cut back on their part-time jobs. Students from overseas are also eligible for the program.

Students from low-income households exempt from residence tax will receive ¥200,000 each, and others ¥100,000.

The government has set aside ¥53 billion from reserves under its first supplementary budget for fiscal 2020 to finance the program. Eligible for the program are graduate and undergraduate students at universities, students at junior, technical and vocational colleges and foreign students studying at Japanese language schools.

“It’s most important for students not to abandon continuing and advancing their education. We’d like to quickly provide assistance to all,” education minister Koichi Hagiuda told reporters.

Source: ANNnewsCH