Japan was the first country in Asia to draw up a national policy for international students, the “100,000 International Students Plan (ISP),” and, after this target was achieved, the “300,000 ISP” was implemented as a high-level policy to unify the approach of various government ministries and agencies. Within international student policy, discrepancies and gaps often arise between the principles and intentions of the central government and the ways in which these are actually put into practice by those dealing directly with international students, leading to unintended consequences. Bearing these points in mind, this paper aims both to review the 300,000 ISP and to consider issues as we move into the next era.

Introduction

As the shift towards a knowledge-based economy and globalization gathers speed, it is no exaggeration to say that securing excellent students from overseas and retaining them after graduation is a decisive factor in a country’s economic power. In Japan, where the working-age population is set to decline rapidly due to a falling birth rate and aging society, a proactive and ongoing effort to attract highquality human resources from overseas to sustain the country’s society and economy is an urgent issue. Furthermore, industry, government, and academia are called to work in partnership to construct a pathway for such international students to study at Japanese educational institutions, gain employment with Japanese companies after graduation, and settle in Japan. Many countries, in particular industrially advanced countries, have rolled out international student policies with numerical targets, and the global competition for human resources is intensifying. Moreover, the over-commercialization and commodification of higher education are becoming a problem as international student education is transformed into a business, particularly in English-speaking countries.

Hosting international students: the current situation

According to statistics from the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), on May 1, 2019, the total number of international students, including those studying at Japanese language schools (JLSs) and professional training colleges (PTCs), which offer vocational programs, was 312,214, while the number enrolled at higher education institutions (HEIs), such as universities and junior colleges, was 146,041 (see Figure 12.1). Taking the former number, we can say that the numerical target of the 300,000 ISP had already been achieved.