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PART Recent Trends and Developments in Government Policies in Education, Science and Culture

The number of foreign students studying in Japanese institutions of higher education reached approximately 41,000 in 1990. As this number is much smaller than that of foreign students in Western countries, the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture is now committed to systematic measures for increasing the number of foreign students with the aim of accepting 100,000 by the beginning of the 21st century.

Firstly, in order that foreign students wishing to come to Japan for study may enter a Japanese university without any difficulty, it is very important to develop relevant mechanisms in foreign countries for enabling students to make appropriate preparations for study in Japan. For this reason, through the Information Center of the Japan International Education Association, the Ministry provides students in foreign countries with various kinds of information related to study in Japan. In1989 the Ministry started holding "Briefing Meetings on Study in Japan" in foreign countries. The Ministry is also conducting feasibility studies on the administration of the "General Examination for Foreign Students" who wish to study in Japan with private funds. In 1990 the Ministry started studying educational programs for preparing foreign students for study in Japan.

Secondly, if foreign students are to live a productive university life in Japan. It is necessary to provide them with financial and other assistance. For this reason, the Ministry endeavors to systematically increase the number of Japanese Government Scholarships for foreign students, as well as to increase the number of special grants, and to further promote partial tuition exemptions for foreign students studying in Japan with private funds. The Ministry also helps provide more and better accommodations to foreign students in Japan, by various means including constructing more foreign student dormitory units at national universities, requesting cooperation from industries to allow foreign students to live in available company dormitory rooms and encouraging local governments to construct more foreign student dormitories.

Thirdly, in order to reinforce the arrangements at national universities for the care of foreign students, the Ministry allocates among national universities special funds for extra teaching and guidance of foreign students, and has created new positions for teachers, tutor, and counselors to provide extra assistance to foreign students. With a view to enhancing guidance and assistance to foreign students, a Foreign Student Center and a Student Exchange Division were set up in three more universities in 1991 following a pattern established in 1990. With regard to private universities, the Ministry views the number of foreign students enrolled as one factor in determining the amount of "special subsidies" for current expenses to individual private universities.

Fourthly, in order to promote student exchange and support structures for foreign students on the basis of joint efforts from both the public and private sectors, a number of localities have organized inter-sectoral committees, composed of representatives from universities in each locality, local governments, business associations, and so forth. (As of the end of March 1991, 46 communities had set up such committees.) These communities, taking advantage of their own unique features, conduct various activities for assisting foreign students. A variety of follow-up services, including the sending of specialized scientific journals, are provided to returnees from study in Japan so that the effects of their study in Japan may be maintained or enhanced.

By virtue of these measures, the number of foreign students in Japan remarkably increased during recent years. At the same time many problems are becoming apparent. In May 1990, the Ministry set up a Consultative Committee for Study on Governmental Policies Regarding Foreign Students in Japan for the 21st Century, which is scheduled to report its findings by Spring 1992.

In addition, with regard to the exchange of Japanese students with foreign universities the Ministry has set up a mechanism for sending Japanese students using governmental funds, and has cooperated with foreign governments in the recruitment and selection of Japanese students for their scholarships. The Ministry also provides Japanese students with information about study abroad through the Information Center of the Japan International Education Association, so that they may choose a foreign university best suited to their study purpose.

It is noted, however, that in response to the rapid increase in the number of Japanese students going abroad to study, many problems are arising between the students on one side and the mediating agencies which place students and the foreign universities accepting them on the other. In December 1990, the Ministry created a Consultative Committee on Overseas Study Programs of Mediating Agencies to examine possible means of improving such programs from an educational point of view.

Programs for upper secondary school students' overseas study were systematized in April 1988, and those returning from study abroad may be awarded credits by their Japanese schools. This systematization has resulted in an increase in the number of upper secondary school students going abroad to study. Under these circumstances, the Ministry endeavors to take measures for the improvement of the guidance for these students, including the preparation of a handbook on the guidance of upper secondary school students wishing to go abroad to study.