Japanese students abroad up 1.5-fold post COVID-19 pandemic

From Kyodo

May 21 2025

TOKYO – The number of Japanese students who studied abroad in the fiscal year through March 2024 rose 1.5-fold from the previous year to 89,179 following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent survey by a public organization.

But the survey conducted by the Japan Student Services Organization also showed that the total was about 26,000 fewer than the peak in the year from April 2018, the highest since comparable data became available in fiscal 2009.

The number of international students accepted into Japan, meanwhile, reached a record high at 336,708, exceeding the level before the pandemic began in early 2020, due apparently to the growing popularity of the nation’s subcultures and the yen’s depreciation.

The survey targeted those attending universities and vocational schools in Japan. High school students who enrolled in universities overseas immediately after graduation were excluded.

Japan has set a goal of boosting the number of domestic students studying in other countries to 500,000 annually by 2033, with the education ministry pledging to enhance measures that allow people to receive international education without taking a leave of absence.

By duration, the number of people who went abroad for less than one month doubled from a year earlier to 57,044, while the figure for stays of six to under 12 months was 10,420 and that for one year or more was 2,122.

The most common destinations were the United States with 13,517 students, Australia with 9,163 and South Korea with 8,384. The number of people studying in China surged 651.3 percent from the previous year to 3,133, while those in Taiwan jumped 181.5 percent to 5,048.

As of May 2024, the number of international students enrolled at universities, vocational and language schools in Japan climbed 20.6 percent. In particular, the increase in the number of people from Nepal and Myanmar was notable, the survey showed.

Among the foreign students, 229,467 were studying at higher educational institutions, including universities and vocational schools, up 21.7 percent. Another 107,241 attended language schools, marking an 18.2 percent increase.