Students walk at the University of Tokyo in Tokyo, Japan in 2016. Photo by Reuters
Japan achieved a major milestone in international education last year, surpassing its long-term enrollment target eight years ahead of schedule, with several top universities allowed to ease their caps on foreign students.
According to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, the country hosted a record 435,200 international students as of June 2025. This marks an 8.2% increase from 2024, driven largely by an influx of 180,000 newly enrolled students.
The surge means Japan has surpassed its government-set goal of reaching 400,000 international students by 2033, according to Germany-based industry intelligence firm ICEF Monitor.
Faced with a rapidly aging population, Japan has intensified efforts to attract foreign students and retain them after graduation to fill critical labor shortages. Currently, about one-third of Japan’s foreign workforce, roughly 866,000 people, is classified as highly skilled.
ICEF notes that the number of highly skilled foreign workers in the country has more than quintupled over the past decade.
To support this continued growth, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is implementing a notable policy shift. As reported by Times Higher Educationthe ministry is moving away from a traditional framework that previously penalized institutions for exceeding approved enrollment quotas.
Starting April 1 of this year, 11 certified departments across three national universities, Tohoku University, the University of Tsukuba, and Hiroshima University, will be permitted to exceed standard enrollment caps by up to 5%.
The ministry stated that this initiative aims not only to attract top-tier global talent but also to internationalize academic settings, encourage domestic Japanese students to engage more actively on the global stage, and foster a broader diversity of perspectives.
Comments are closed.