Japanese Universities Seek Sustainability Through Foreign Students
Increasing the number of foreign students is crucial for the survival of Japanese universities. In late April, the government revised a Justice Ministry ordinance to strengthen rules for accepting foreign students. Under the new framework, educational institutions, including universities, must have adequate enrollment regulations and international student management systems. Institutions not meeting these requirements cannot accept foreign students, and residency status for students will not be granted to overseas applicants.
In 2008, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda introduced the “plan for 300,000 exchange students,” but the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima nuclear crisis negatively affected this goal. The number of international students began increasing again with the 2010 amendment to the Immigration Control Act, and by 2019, Japan had accepted over 310,000 foreign students. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp drop in enrollments to around 240,000 by 2021.
In March 2023, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced a new target of accepting 400,000 international students by 2033, as part of his „new capitalism” policy. The recent regulations aim to prevent visa violations and illegal employment among foreign students. The government is expected to implement more attractive measures to draw international students, including increasing scholarships and employment support after graduation.