Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has unveiled a new initiative to encourage Japanese students to pursue study abroad opportunities. The proposal comes as fewer young people in Japan show interest in traveling overseas, amid rising costs and a weakening yen.
Studying abroad can be expensive. Beyond travel expenses, students often face high tuition fees, housing costs, and the challenges of adapting to a new lifestyle. However, many who have studied abroad describe it as a transformative experience, offering valuable career opportunities and broadening perspectives.
In response, Koike has announced that the Tokyo metropolitan government plans to offer grants to students wishing to study abroad. The amount of financial support will depend on various factors, such as the cost of living in the host country and the length of the program. For short-term programs lasting one to four months, students could receive up to 900,000 yen (approximately US$5,735) to cover travel and tuition fees. Students attending year-long programs may qualify for up to 3.15 million yen, including a monthly allowance of 150,000 yen for local activity expenses, which can cover cultural and extracurricular activities outside the classroom.
To qualify for the grants, applicants must be Japanese citizens, have a parent or guardian living in Tokyo, and be enrolled in a domestic university, technical college, or vocational school. The program is designed to support students who are already pursuing academic goals, with grants available for those attending overseas universities. Language schools will not be eligible. There will also be no income cap for applicants’ families.
Koike introduced the grant proposal amid growing concerns that Japanese youth are less inclined to study abroad compared to previous generations. The weakening yen and economic challenges have made the idea of studying overseas even more daunting. At the same time, with Japan’s aging population and a shifting global economy, Koike emphasized the need for Japan to cultivate a new generation of globally competitive professionals.
“The global competitiveness of Japan is declining,” Koike said, stressing the importance of investing in young people to develop future leaders. The governor’s goal is to provide grants to 500 short-term study abroad participants and 100 long-term students, with the first group expected to depart next summer.
Related topics:
