The grand concept of Japanese international education.
Japan is currently facing significant challenges, particularly in enhancing its human resources to adapt to rapid technological advancements.
Following the economic bubble burst, Japan endured years of deflation, often referred to as the ‘lost twenty years’. During this time, the causes of long term stagnation were vigorously debated, but recently, many have attributed this stagnation to insufficient investment in human resources.
To address these issues, the Japanese government launched the Council for the Creation of Future Education (CCFE) in December 2021, chaired by Prime Minister Kishida. By May 2022, CCFE had formulated its initial recommendations, and in its the fourth meeting, Prime Minister Kishida underscored the importance of increasing investment to develop and secure highly skilled human resources; not just domestically, but globally.
The Council’s first recommendations were comprehensive and well-received in Japanese society. They emphasised the need to foster talent with universal knowledge and skills that transcend disciplinary boundaries, and to encourage more female students to pursue STEM fields. Additionally, the Council recommended increasing the number of Master’s and Doctoral graduates in society.
However, many stakeholders in Japanese international education found these recommendations inadequate; they lacked specific government policy directions related to international education.
Over the past two decades, the Japanese government has actively promoted the internationalisation of higher education, exemplified by initiatives like the ‘Global 30’ project, launched in 2009, with the aim of attracting 300,000 international students by 2020. Numerous universities received government support for internationalisation projects, resulting in the number of international students reaching 310,000 by 2019.
Further internationalisation to Japanese education was the focus of the second recommendations from the CCFE, finalised in September 2023, and dubbed J-MIRAI (Japan-Mobility and Internationalisation: Re-engaging and Acceleration Initiative for Future Generations).
J-MIRAI holds particular significance for international education stakeholders in Japan, outlining ambitious targets for international human resource development:
By 2033, Japan aims to increase inbound international students to 400,000 and outbound students to 500,000. They also aim to promote internationalisation in education through the expansion of English-taught courses and dual degree programs with partner universities abroad.
However, achieving these targets is being met with challenges, such as the depreciation of the Japanese Yen, alongside high travel costs, which dampen the motivation of young people to study abroad. Additionally, the governmental budget is limited, meaning Japanese educational institutions are required to work with their international partners in order to enhance the international experience through collaborative programmes, and save costs through reciprocal exchange programs.
Japanese universities also need to work with private institutions; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), through the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), has endeavoured to enhance scholarship systems for studying abroad. Initiatives like the ‘Tobitate! Ryuugaku Japan program’ have been launched, gathering private donations totalling ¥652 million (~£3 million) in 2022 to support study abroad scholarships.
Universities could also work with various industries such as inbound tourism. Inbound tourism is becoming increasingly popular in Japan, with many local authorities trying to attract more international guests. However, they often lack the proper human resources to do so.
Through collaboration with the domestic or international tourism industry, universities can educate young people to effectively promote their local areas and develop tourism there. International students can also work in tourism and contribute to creating attractive programs for international tourists.
The future of Japanese society rests on its youth—those involved in international education in Japan are dedicated to enabling both Japanese and international youth to gain enriching global experiences. We welcome ideas and suggestions from our international partners.
