## OEstablishment type and number of higher education institutions

• In Japan, universities are divided into the following three categories by founder: national universities originally established by the Japanese Government (currently established by national university corporations), public universities established by local public entities or public university corporations, and private universities established by educational corporations.

•Both national government and local governments are members of the public sector. However, while a national government represents the nation itself and is managed under the single national rule, local governments are responsible for certain areas and provide basic services for people living there.

• As for the system of school corporations, the system aims to assign a specific corporation status to any specific individual or organization attempting to manage a regular school to render the management body of such individual or organizations. Corporations shall prevent school management from being exploited for the arbitrariness, interests and personal gain of a select few, and shall possess the assets required for education, such as school premises and buildings, in order to provide stable and continuous school education to enrich and improve their educational conditions.

• National universities, which have been established in all local prefectures as organizations targeting the improvement and well-balanced development of Japanese higher education and academic research, have played important roles as local research centers etc. In addition, national universities have been reorganized as corporations since 2004, aiming to improve each university's independence and autonomy to enhance education and research activities.

• Public universities, which have been established and managed by local public entities or public university corporations, have also played important roles in providing higher education opportunities to local people and as intellectual and cultural centers in the local community.

• Private universities have accounted for about 80% of all universities and have had about 80% of all university students on their registers. Each private university has promoted its own unique education and research activities based on the spiritual legacy of its foundation. They have played important roles both qualitatively and quantitatively, and have greatly contributed to the development of Japanese higher education.

○ Number of universities

(As of May 1, 2008)

Category	Total	University	Of those on the left, Universities with graduate schools	Junior colleges	Colleges of technology	Specialized training colleges (with specialized courses)
Total	1,201	752	598	385	64	2,968
National	141	86	85	0	55	11
Public	105	75	65	24	6	202
Private	955	591	448	361	3	2,755

Source: AY2008 List of Universities (excluding those having suspended student recruitment.)

## ☐ Number of students

(As of May 1, 2008)

Category	Total	Graduate school	Subtotal	Universities (Undergraduate)	Junior colleges (Regular course)	Higher technical colleges (Fourth and fifth years)	Correspondence education	Specialized training colleges (specialized course)
Total	3,147,700	262,686	2,707,878	2,520,593	166,448	21,863	210,642	582,864
National	627,678	153,813	473,865	454,653	9	19,363	586
Public	140,617	14,704	125,912	114,128	10,125	1,653	26,912
Private	2,379,405	94,169	2,108,101	1,951,812	156,314	847	210,642	555,366

Source: FY2008 School Basic Survey (excluding students of “major course,” “special course” and “other courses”).