Chinese put Japan study plans on hold

Even though organisers at an international education programme in Shanghai said several universities in Tokyo were situated far from the earthquake-stricken areas, students said they were "not sure" about the long-term effects of radioactive contamination around the Japanese capital.

"I'm not clear about the consequences of Japan's radioactive contamination. So I'm considering other options at the moment," 22-year-old Xu Lu, a senior year student of mathematics at Peking University, was quoted as saying by the Shanghai Daily.
Xu had received an enrolment notice from the University of Tokyo before the crisis.
"I would have definitely chosen Japan if there was no nuclear emergency," he said.
Zhang Jiyao, a 27-year-old Shanghai native who just finished his studies at the Senshu University in Japan, chose to return to Shanghai immediately after his graduation ceremony.
"My intention was to stay there looking for jobs," he said. "However, considering the recent nuclear emergency, I did not feel comfortable staying there at the moment."
He said lots of his friends who had not yet finished their studies were brought home by their parents.

"We'll just wait and see what happens next and decide whether to go or stay," he said.
Shen Junyao, a consultant at a Shanghai-based overseas education agency, said that considering Japan's economic status, the country still has a huge attraction compared to South Korea and Singapore.