Japan - Mobility and Internationalisation: Re-engaging and Accelerating Initiativefor future generations (J-MIRAI) Outline
Council for the Creation of Future Education, April 27, 2023

I. Human Investment in Post-Covid Global Society○ It is essential to invest in people to realise a New Form of Capitalism basedon the concepts of a "virtuous cycle of growth and distribution" and"development of a new post-pandemic society.”○ Developing and securing a broad and diverse base of human resources, fromhighly skilled professionals in the world's most advanced fields to those who
support regional growth and development and the building of a diverse,inclusive, and sustainable society, is vital for boosting Japan's growth andinternational competitiveness and contributing to world peace and stability.
○ Regarding international student exchange, in addition to existing focus on thequantity of international student exchange, The Government of Japan will
also place an emphasis on improving quality with the aim of increasing thenumber of Japanese students studying abroad and promoting the acceptanceof promising international students.
○ In the future, we will strengthen the exchanges of people at the highereducation level by actively promoting exchange at high-quality universities withinternational students, as well as enhance diversity and inclusion in education at
the elementary and secondary school levels.
○ Reforming the system for accepting highly skilled foreign professionals toachieve world-class levels, facilitating the employment of Japanese students
who have studied abroad, and encouraging international students who wish
to play an active role in their fields to settle in Japan.

II. Future Directions
1. Outbound and Inbound students(1) Outbound Japanese students
・ The Government of Japan will increase the number and percentage ofJapanese students studying at overseas universities and graduate schools
for mid- to long-term study, and promote degree attainment, especiallyamong graduate students. For this purpose, The Government of Japan will
promote gradual efforts throughout the levels from high school to graduateschool, which lead to degree acquisition from short- to mid-term and long-term
study abroad.
(2) Inbound international students
・ The Government of Japan will promote the strategic acceptance of talented
and highly motivated international students. In doing so, to create anenvironment where students will learn and mutually understand values based ondiverse cultural backgrounds, The Government of Japan will diversify theregions from which students are accepted and increase acceptance at thegraduate school and at the undergraduate and high school levels, whereinternational student ratios are low.
2. Developing a secure post-graduation environment for those studying abroad・ To help students make the decision to study abroad with predictability and peaceof mind about their future career paths before entering school overseas, The
Government of Japan will facilitate the smooth employment of Japanese
students who have studied abroad, and help international students settle inJapan if they so choose after graduation by promoting the employment ofinternational students by companies and supporting entrepreneurship.
3. Internationalisation of education
・ The Government of Japan will promote the internationalisation of education byrealising: an educational and research environment where values based ondiverse cultural backgrounds gather and create mutual understanding; andan educational environment for children such that highly skilled foreign
professionals can come to Japan with their children without anxieties.

III. Goals by 2033
Outbound Japanese Students
500,000 by 2033

(222,000 pre-COVID)

Similar level to France and Germany (nonEnglish-speaking countries)<Universities, vocationalschools, etc.><High Schools, etc.>〇 Number of Japanese students 〇 Number of students
studying abroad at the highstudying abroad long-term
school level
for the purpose of earning a
Study tour (less than 3 months)
degree, etc.
43,000 → 110,000
62,000 → 150,000
Study abroad (more than3〇 Number of students studyingmonths)
abroad short- to medium4,000 →10,000term based on agreements,etc.
113,000 → 230,000

Inbound/Retaining International
Students
400,000 by 2033

Internationalisation of Education(318,000 pre-COVID)

Maintain the growth rate of “Plan for 300,000 Exchange Students”< Universities, vocational
schools, Japanese language
schools, etc.><High Schools, etc.>〇 Number of international
students (high school)
6,000 → 20,000〇 Number of international
students
312,000 → 380,000 〇 Percentage of international
students
High school: 0.2% → 0.7%
〇 Percentage of international
students〇 Post-graduation
Undergraduate: 3%→5% employment rate in JapanMaster’s: 19% → 20%(excluding students moving
Doctorate: 21% → 33%
on to higher education)
48% → 60 %<Universities, etc.><Junior High and High Schools, etc.>〇 English-only undergraduate 〇 High schools where students
and graduate programmes
can take multiple subjects inUndergraduate: 86 → 200
English (including courses)
Graduate: 276 → 400
50 → 150〇 Percentage of universities〇 Percentage of high schoolsthat have exchanges with
with in-person internationaloverseas universities basedexchanges
on exchange agreements
18% → 50%
48% → 80%
〇 Joint degree programmes 〇 Junior high and high27→50
schools with international〇 Double degree programmes*
exchanges through online
349 → 800
*Programmes based on inter-university exchange
and other meansagreements with overseas universities
20% → 100%.

Current situation
Outbound Japanese Students
Stagnation of Japanese students studying abroad
Number of Japanese students studying abroad, mainly
long-term (including degree-seeking students)

56,0002016

59,0002018

62,0002019

43,000

2020

37.2

Korea
Japan

16.0

Germany
France

10.7%

22.0%

33.5

233

Undergrad.
(Schools)
2016

5.9%

International students who are employed in Japan after
graduation (excluding students moving on to highereducation)
39.9%
48.0%
47.6%
42.2%
2016

Graduate(Schools)

269

290

276

73

90

86

2018

2019

2020

65

The domestic employment rate of international
students increased only slightly
38.4

GermanyUK
11.1%

Internationalisation of Education
Undergraduate/graduate schools with degrees
attainable exclusively in English

Percentage of international students inhigher education

Japan

International comparison of the numberof students sent abroad per 1,000 higher
education students

FranceInbound / Retaining International Students

Joint Degree (JD) and Double Degree (DD)Programmes
Number of JDs
2627

2021

2022

Number of DDs
503

20
2018

2019

2020

2019

444
349

201720192020

IV. Specific Measures
1. New post-covid measures for outbound and inbound students(1) Measures for outbound Japanese students① Promoting outbound Japanese students from the high school to graduate school levels• Strengthen public relations through social media, etc.
• Build alumni networks• Promote local government initiatives that support students going on to higher education atoverseas universities• Promote efforts to increase exchange agreements (mutual tuition waiver)• In order to significantly increase the number of students who aim to study abroad in the mid- tolong-term and pursue degrees at foreign universities, toward the realisation of the indicators foroutbound of students, the public and private sectors will collaborate to implement structural andfundamental policies and steadily expand grant-type scholarships in line with thedevelopment and progress of these measures. Furthermore, the public and private sectors will
collaborate to increase economic support, such as by promoting the use of scholarships
contributed by businesses and individuals.
• Promote the use of proxy repayment systems by companies and repayment support
efforts by local governments.
• Promote the development of “Tobitate! (Leap for tomorrow) Study Abroad Initiative”
through public-private collaboration.
• Promote outbound of doctorate and other human resources abroad• Promote working adults to study at overseas graduate schools, etc.
② Promoting English and international understanding education at the elementaryand secondary education levels, as well as education that fosters the ability toidentify and solve problems, etc.
• Promote digital performance tests to develop the four English skills (reading, writing, listening,and speaking).
• Promote inquiry-based learning, hands-on activities to foster interest in nature, society, culture
and the arts, and education that deepens international understanding.
• Promote the development of an educational environment that allows students to takeinternational educational programs such as the International Baccalaureate.
• Improve teacher’s teaching skills of English and international understanding education byincreasing opportunities for teachers to study abroad during their training, increasing
opportunities to get overseas experiences after hiring, and improving practical teacher training.
• Promote online exchange with overseas by utilising one device per student etc.

(2) Measures for inbound international students① Creating opportunities to study in Japan• Improve local systems to integrally promote student recruitment from an early stage, public
relations, information delivery, and Japanese language education• Improve information on portal sites where information related to international student
acceptance can be obtained centrally• Establish programmes to strengthen the early acquisition of excellent students• Enhancment of Japanese language education overseas• Review Japanese Government Scholarships, such as by focusing on specific regions
and fields of study etc.
② Making flexible requirements and procedures at the application and admission stage• Promote student selection before arrival in Japan through digital transformation• Online processing of student visas• Reduce the burden of opening bank accounts etc.
③ Improving the quality and appeal of the education and research environmentof Japanese universities• Flexible tuition fees for international students and more flexible capacity management• Improve the quality and attractiveness of campuses, develop dormitories for international
students and foreign faculty members using private funds, etc., and develop the rental
housing environment to accept international students etc.
④ Thoroughly implementing and strengthening measures for appropriate
enrollment management and technology leakage prevention• Publicise the names of schools such as universities with inadequate enrollment
management, not permit the applicants in such schools to acquire the “Student” statusof residence, strictlysubsidies for private schools, and enhance disclosure of informationon the number of international students, etc.
• Ensure security export control, promote research integrity, etc.
(3) Promoting international exchange• Promote international exchange by enhancing and strengthening the "Asia Kakehashi
Project" and the Japan’s Friendship Ties, as well as by promoting sister school partnerships
and the assignment of study abroad coordinators.
• Promote hybrid international exchanges online such as through COIL (Collaborative Online
International Learning), VE (Virtual Exchange), etc.
• Strengthen human resource development for decarbonisation, promote international
exchange activities and study abroad for students studying in fields such as agriculture, andpromote the exchange of students in cultural and artistic fields as well as young artists.

IV. Specific Measures
2. Developing a secure post-graduation environment for those studying abroad

3. Internationalisation of education(1) Improving the environment to facilitate the smooth employment of Japanese(1) Internationalising Japanese universitiesstudents• Provide employment information to students studying abroad and expand participation inoverseas job fairs• Promote the various opportunities of application for students after returning home throughyear-round and fall hiring, internships, etc.
• Building momentum to broaden the scope of initiatives in which companies actively evaluate theknowledge and expertise gained through studying abroad, in terms of hiring, human resource
development etc.
(2) Improving the retention rate of international students and other highly
skilled foreign professionals① Promote efforts to encourage international students to find employment in Japan• Improve the employment by strengthening consultation and support functions andcenters, including multilingual support at Hello Work (public employment security offices) , etc.
• Establish a Regional Consortium for the Employment of Highly Skilled Foreign
Professionals to support the employment and retention of international students in regional
companies by providing internship opportunities tailored to regional characteristics, as well as
implement accompanying support for small and medium-sized companies in solving issues
related to foreign human resource acceptance through the Open for Professionals etc.

② Improve the corporate culture and enhance environment of employing companies• Clarify recruitment policies, review internal systems, promote the public disclosure of recruitment
policies and performance etc.
③ Improve the relevant residence status systems• Reform systems for accepting highly skilled foreign professionals to a world-class level(establish the Japan System for Special Highly - Skilled Professionals and the Japan
System for Future Creation Individual Visa for specific activities) and consider granting
graduates of Japanese universities who meet certain requirements the same measures• Establish an accreditation system for high quality vocational schools and review theoperation of permission to change status of residence for graduates of such schools etc.

• Promote joint and double degrees with overseas universities, credit transfers, and inter-university
exchanges and exchange agreements• Promote the hiring and training of administrators with advanced and specialised knowledge andexperience in international exchange, etc.
• Improve the environment to ensure that universities continue to make commitments tothorough internationalisation and the development of global human resources• Provide incentives for universities and other institutions that are actively engaged ininternationalisation• Establish a certification system for universities leading the way in internationalisation• Promote inter-university collaboration and student exchange with countries and regions whereinternational student exchange should be promoted strategically• Realise the Global Startup Campus Initiative by attracting top-class universities in Europe and theU.S., etc.

(2) Improving the educational environment for the success of foreign humanresources• Enrich information on and understanding of the situation of international schools, facilitate theconnection between schools, and promote the development of international secondary
education institutions and support the school management of these institutions• Strengthen support for foreign students in Japanese schools who have difficulties• Establish an accreditation system for Japanese language education institutions to maintainand improve their quality etc.
(3) Exporting Japanese-style education, including overseas branches of domestic
universities and colleges of technology (KOSEN)• Promote environmental improvements for the establishment of overseas branch campuses ofdomestic universities, etc.
• Support the introduction of Japanese-style KOSEN based on requests from other countries• Support the development of educational environments equivalent to those in Japan, as well as
support for strengthening safety measures, facilities, and so on at overseas educational facilities
etc.