2 American Campuses in Tokyo Remain Closed as Japan Struggles With Quake's Toll

By Ian Wilhelm

Temple University's branch campus in Tokyo, the largest program run by an American university in Japan, remained closed Monday as the country struggles with emergency conditions resulting from the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck on Friday.

Temple's campus, which enrolls some 3,300 students, had planned to reopen after being closed since Friday. But classes were canceled for Monday after the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism recommended that people stay home, said Bruce Stronach, dean of the campus, in a statement on the campus's Web site. In addition, he said rolling blackouts affecting Tokyo and changing train schedules contributed to the decision.

Temple's campus has so far reported no casualties or injuries among staff or students. While Tokyo was not hit by the full force of the earthquake, a dramatic YouTube video shows students scrambling for safety in Temple's computer lab as the temblor hit.

Lakeland College also closed its Tokyo campus Monday, citing the shutdown of train lines. Alan Brender, the campus's interim associate dean, said in an e-mail that the earthquake "sent teachers and students scurrying under desks, while boxes, books, and other debris fell around them," but no one was hurt and the campus suffered little damage.

Mr. Brender said faculty and students had started a campaign to raise money to help people in northern Japan, where damages are much more severe.

Lakeland has opened an information center at its main campus in Sheboygan, Wis., and is offering counseling services to its Japanese students there.