Japanese students leaving HK amid continued unrest

Japanese students studying at a Hong Kong university where violent clashes took place have begun to return home amid continuing unrest caused by protests.

Clashes between citizens and police have been escalating since a student died last Friday while allegedly taking part in a pro-democracy protest.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong has canceled all classes with two weeks still remaining in the term following fierce clashes between students and police. They exchanged fire bombs and tear gas on campus.

Nineteen-year-old Ichika Kita Tokyo's Sophia University has been studying Chinese at the university since August.

She cut short her plan to stay until mid-December and left the university on Thursday night.

Kita said she hastily gathered her belongings to evacuate after abruptly being told the dormitory would be shut down.

Kita said the campus turned into a battlefield and students were helping the injured.

According to Kita, many students were saying the police may soon raid the university. She said many barricades had been set up and they were preparing to fight until the end.

Kita said she was very worried about what will happen to her friends and fellow students after all the foreign students are gone.

About 50 Japanese students were studying are the university, but most have returned to Japan in the past few days or left the campus.

The Japanese consulate general in Hong Kong is providing buses and other means to help them evacuate.

 amid p)...の真っ最中に、...に囲まれて　ｱ ミｯﾄﾞ
 unrest n)（社会的）騒乱  ｱﾝレｽﾄ　
 protest n)異議、抗議　ﾌﾟロウﾃｽﾄ
 escalate v)エスカレートさせる、する　エｽｶﾚｲﾄ
 allegedly adv)申し立てによれば、主張によると、伝えられるところでは　ｱ レｼﾞｪﾄﾘｨ
 pro-democracy
 remain
 term
 fierce
 exchange
 fire bombs
 tear gas
 hastily
 gather
 belongings
 evacuate
 abruptly
 dormitory
 shut down
 turn into
 battlefield
 injured
 raid
 barricade
 fellow
 consulate general
 providing
 buses