More than 550,000 applicants braved the midwinter cold to take unified college entrance examinations across the country Saturday, as the two-day event began at 725 venues on high influenza alert.
Masks and hand-washing gels greeted many of the applicants tackling civics, geography and history, Japanese and foreign languages, before science and mathematics complete the schedule Sunday. A record 811 universities and colleges are taking part in the exam.
The number of applicants increased 9,387 from last year to 553,368, according to the National Center for University Entrance Examinations, an independent administrative agency. High school students scheduled to graduate in March account for 79.5 percent of total applicants.
The center has scheduled exams Jan. 30-31 for applicants who fail to show up this weekend because of unavoidable circumstances.
Following the outbreak of H1N1 flu, the examinations center has recommended that applicants with fevers of 38 C or higher take the exams at the later date, while urging others to wear masks at test venues.
A total of 228 applicants have been permitted to take the end-of-month exams, including 132 who cited the effects of influenza, both the new and seasonal viruses, according to the center.
