Tokyo Tech is at Level 2- from Wednesday, September 9. Click here for updated guidelines.
First, we wish to express that we miss all of you, and we care very much about how you are doing. Please try to stay connected with us, let's do our best to sustain the exciting scientific spirit that ELSI embodies during these trying times, even though we might not be able to do so together in-person, and we are forced to spend time away from our ELSI home.
We are presently conducting virtual meetings to check in on everyone, if you haven't been able to connect with us we'd love to hear from you. Please do not hesitate to let us know if there is anything we can do to help you get through the challenges of these times.
The ELSI Director's Office has assembled this web page to share practical information with ELSI faculty, staff, and students during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that it is accurate, up-to-date, and useful. If you have any additional information for us to share, or notice any errors, please let us know.
July 22 update on Alert Level 2.5- and beyond is available here.
Conditions for research, educational, and operational activities of faculty, staff, and students required in <Level 2-> are shown in red in the following document. Click here.
A list of documentation can be downloaded as a zip file. Click here.
New or additional information will be posted on the web at https://www.titech.ac.jp/covid-19/
The following is information about staying prepared at home in case more serious shutdowns are implemented by the government. It is best to prepare before a shutdown is declared, because there may be shortages at local stores and continued interruption of supply chains.
Uncertainty: Preparing for an unprecedented major shutdown of a city is not straightforward. For one, it is unknown what will become less available, how long such measures might be necessary, and how long it may take for conditions to return to normal after restrictions are lifted. We also cannot predict the exact extent of such a shutdown, what freedoms might be limited, or even what kinds of infrastructure will remain available (e.g., trains, buses, roads), etc.. Unfortunately, such measures may be put into place very rapidly, with little advance notice. Therefore, it is best to consider your long-term needs now.
Basic Needs: Critical infrastructure and utilities such as running water, gas, and electricity, are likely to continue unaffected in a pandemic shutdown. We recommend that you stock up on (non-perishable, dry, canned, etc.) food and other home supplies, which may become less available owing to shortages and/or closures. We recommend having a well-stocked emergency medical kit on hand, along with any supplies that would help you to avoid going to a doctor's office unless absolutely necessary. You should also keep a modest amount of cash on hand, in case of banking disruptions. Personal transportation such as a bicycle might also be useful, and perhaps the safest and least restricted option for transport in a shutdown.
Important: Please avoid hoarding/taking more than what you absolutely need. Sudden runs on stores, banks, etc., can have very harmful effects for the broader society.
In case of earthquake during the pandemic: Because public emergency evacuation centers and shelters might not be safe under pandemic conditions, we recommend that you think about procuring a camping tent or other shelter provisions that you can use in order to avoid the need to stay in a public shelter (some of these might anyways be taken over for use as emergency hospitals).
VPN Access: The Tokyo Tech website will have announcements and information relevant to COVID-19. In addition, many of the internal pages will not be accessible off-campus. Option 1: Click here for instructions to get an ELSI VPN account (only accessible via @elsi.jp account). Option 2: Click here for instructions on how to gain access to the Tokyo Tech network over SSL-VPN.
Portal Login: Click here to login to Tokyo Tech portal. Click here for a guide on 'matrix authentication' of the Tokyo Tech portal. Please try a different web browsers if you can't log in to the portal via Google Chrome.
Bandwidth Limit: Please limit your use of VPN connection to activities that require it (e.g., journal access, local servers). Once you are finished with those tasks, please log off. Do not use Skype, Zoom, Google Meet, or other high bandwidth tele-conferencing applications while connected to the VPN. There is also an upper limit on the number of connections that can use SSL-VPN simultaneously, which we should keep open and available while we are not using VPN for essential tasks. More info here.
Privacy Notice: While connected to VPN, all of your internet activity is visible to Tokyo Tech system administrators, and your traffic is in principle subject to Tokyo Tech rules and guidelines for internet use.
Access to scientific papers: Click here for details on setting up to access the scientific literature with FoxyProxy (third-party extension).
We encourage all ELSI members to continue having meetings online using tools such as Google Meet (available through your ELSI G Suite account, click here for instructions). ELSI plans to launch a series of virtual seminars and other online activities in coming weeks, we will post details here as soon as they are organized. If you have any ideas for virtual interactions, please share them with the Director's Office.
This is a space for sharing answers to questions. Email covid19@elsi.jp to submit questions and concerns (please don't be shy) in English or Japanese or use the below form.
Recommended information hosted on external (non-ELSI) websites.
Tokyo Tech COVID-19 updates: Link to External Site
Tokyo Metropolitan Government: Link to External Site
Tracking COVID-19 across Japan: Link to External Site
Global tracking from Johns Hopkins Univ. (JHU): Link to External Site
JHU Data on Github: Link to External Site
World Health Organization (WHO): Link to External Site
Social distancing from WHO: Link to External Site
'Three Cs' prevention, Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, Japan: Link to External Site
Songs to sing while washing hands: Link to External Site
An astronaut's guide to self isolation: Link to External Site
Working from home - a beginner’s guide: Link to External Site
Think with Google - 4 tips for staying productive: Link to External Site
Staying focused when you're working from home: Link to External Site
Looking after your mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak: Link to External Site
14 ways to protect your mental health: Link to External Site