A major controversy has erupted at Tokyo University after allegations emerged that the institution embedded a banned Chinese keyword in its graduate admissions website, potentially preventing Chinese students from accessing application materials.
According to Todai Shimbun, the university's student newspaper, the graduate admissions page for the Computational Biology and Medical Sciences Program contained the phrase "六四天安門" (June 4th Tiananmen) in its code for over a year, between August 2023 and September 2024.
The keyword refers to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing. Due to China's internet censorship system known as the Great Firewall, websites containing this phrase are automatically blocked for users in mainland China.
The strategic placement of this banned term meant that prospective Chinese students were likely unable to view or access the program's application page during the 13-month period.
Following the revelation, Tokyo University acknowledged the incident and confirmed the removal of the controversial keyword. The institution announced it has strengthened its code verification procedures to prevent similar incidents.
This event adds to ongoing concerns about discrimination against Chinese nationals in Japanese academia. In 2019, the university faced another controversy when an associate professor publicly declared his refusal to hire Chinese individuals, leading to his eventual dismissal.
The incident highlights broader issues of discrimination against Chinese and Korean residents in Japan, who continue to face barriers in various aspects of daily life, from housing to public services.
Tokyo University's use of digital barriers to potentially restrict Chinese applicants raises serious questions about institutional discrimination and the need for greater oversight of university admission practices.