According to a new survey by the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), published on the government-approved information site STUDY in JAPAN, the number of foreign students reached 408,069 during the fiscal year. This marks a 21.2% increase compared to the previous year.
The milestone arrives well before the government's target date. In 2023, Japanese officials announced a goal of attracting 400,000 international students by 2033 as part of a broader effort to draw highly skilled foreign talent to the country.
Shift toward vocational and language programs
More than 60% of these students were enrolled in Japanese language institutions or vocational schools. This represents the highest share recorded since comparable data became available in fiscal 2011.
Growth was particularly strong at language schools, which enrolled 140,174 students, an increase of 32,933 year-on-year. Professional training colleges also saw significant gains, with enrollment rising by 30,427 to reach 106,829 students. Universities and graduate schools hosted 156,593 international students, up 7,692 from the previous year.
