Japan plans to amend university regulations to increase international student enrollment. According to proposals presented at a public meeting held at the end of the month, some universities, colleges, and technical schools will be allowed to exceed their admission limits by 5% starting from April 2026. Education Minister Abe Toshiko stated that this is “essential for Japan’s development of global human resources.”
According to “Tehsil365”, citing The Pie News, the new rules will only apply to financially strong educational institutions with no record of rule violations. These institutions must submit a plan to the Ministry of Education detailing how they will manage international students and maintain high retention rates in order to exceed their admission quotas. Currently, admission limits are determined by the size of the university, and exceeding them can result in penalties such as the loss of government support.
The changes are part of the government’s goal to attract 400,000 international students to Japan by 2033. Last year, the number of foreign students in Japan rose by 20% compared to the previous year, approaching pre-pandemic levels.