The video, titled ‘Study in Japan’, highlights the high-quality education of Japanese universities and aims to dispel common myths about the inaccessibility of studying there.
“We felt the need to promote study abroad in Japan by reaching out to more diverse countries and regions,” Takeda Kuniko, MEXT deputy director of international affairs told The PIE News.
“So, we made this video aiming to make the Japanese experience visible for many and to negate misconceptions regarding study abroad in Japan,” Kuniko continued.
In particular, the video showcases the availability of English courses at Japanese institutions and the business opportunities for students after graduating.
In the past 10 years, the number of English-taught university departments in Japan have increased from 36 to 88 for undergraduate studies, and from 200 to 295 for graduate studies, the video highlights.
The video draws attention to the fact that 119 Japanese universities are ranked within the top 1,500 of THE’s 2024 World University Rankings, as compared with 169 US colleges.
According to Kuniko, there has been a significant growth of international students remaining in Japan, with over 50% either entering employment or starting their own business in the country after graduation.
We felt the need to promote study abroad in Japan by reaching out to more diverse countries
Takeda Kuniko, MEXT
The video showcases the personal experiences of students from India, France, Ukraine and the US, as well as Dr Lekh Juneja, a former international student from India, now the CEO of well-known food producers Kameda Seika.
Last year, the number of international students in Japan grew by more than 20%, encouraging modest optimism about Japan’s progress towards its ambitious internationalisation targets, which the video aims to accelerate.
The government strategy is driven by its recognition of the importance of international students, said Kuniko, highlighting the importance of diverse perspectives and values improving the quality of Japanese higher education and stimulating domestic students to seek global experiences.
“International students will become great ambassadors and friends of Japan even after they leave Japan. They are very important assets to keep peaceful relationship with other countries,” she added.