The weakening of the yen has led to a significant decrease in the number of Japanese students studying abroad, while the number of students going to Japan has increased dramatically

(Tokyo News) A survey shows that the number of international students in Japan has reached an all-time high, but the number of Japanese students studying abroad has dropped by approximately 20% compared to the peak level a few years ago. This is mainly due to the weak yen.

The Nikkei News reported that the survey results released by the Japanese Student Support Agency on Friday (May 29) showed that as of May 1, 2025, the number of international students in Japan reached over 408,000, an increase of 21% compared to the previous year, marking the highest level since this survey began in 2011.

In 2023, the Japanese government set a goal of admitting 400,000 international students by 2033. Now, this goal has been achieved ahead of schedule.

Meanwhile, the number of Japanese students studying abroad in foreign universities increased by 2% year-on-year in the fiscal year 2024, reaching over 91,000. The number of international students in the fiscal year 2018 exceeded 110,000, but it dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and has yet to recover.

Even including the long-term Japanese students counted by organizations such as UNESCO, the total number is still far below the government's target of reaching 500,000 by 2033. In 2023, this figure was approximately 50,000.

The report states that part of the reason for the slow growth is the weak yen and the inflation in the countries where students go for study.

According to data from Ryugaku Journal, a study-abroad consulting agency based in Tokyo, the cost of studying in the US for one year in 2024 ranges from 6.01 million yen to 7.42 million yen, including tuition fees, living expenses, and airfare. Before the pandemic in 2019, this cost was between 3.22 million yen and 5.54 million yen.

At the same time, the weak yen has led more overseas students to choose to study in Japan. A study-abroad service company said: "The cost of living in Japan is lower, and the tuition fees are much cheaper than those at universities in Europe and America."