JAPAN

Ministry to raise foreign students numbers to 300,000

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology aims to increase the number of foreign students to 300,000 by 2020, from about 200,000 currently, with a strong focus on students from the ASEAN – Association of Southeast Asian Nations – region, reports The Japan Times.

The ASEAN region is increasing in importance as a market for Japanese companies because its member states are getting wealthier and accelerating their development. Hence, increasing the number of students from the region studying in Japan is essential to nurture future businesspeople or politicians to work between Japan and ASEAN member states.

As of 1 May 2014, Japan had 184,133 foreign students, up 9% from 168,145 a year earlier, according to the Japan Student Services Organization, or JASSO. Students from ASEAN’s 10 member states more than doubled to 38,970 as of 1 May 2014, from 15,095 in 2010, according to JASSO.
Full report on The Japan Times site