Highlighting a” critical challenge “in global movement, the Japan Association of Overseas Research Studies (JAOS) has actually released JSARI– the nation’s first devoted research study abroad believe tank– in the middle of slowing outgoing growth and restricted policy research study.
Japan has currently exceeded its incoming student target eight years ahead of schedule, reaching 435,000 worldwide trainees as of June 2025. But its objective of sending 500,000 students abroad by 2033 remains a difficulty due to a weak yen, international inflation, and more stringent visa rules in crucial locations such as the US, Canada, and Australia.
A survey by JAOS, which supported around 80,000 students every year pre-pandemic through its member organisations, discovered that 39 members sent out an overall of 70,253 students abroad in 2024.
Additionally, the variety of Japanese students heading to the US fell from 29,580 in between January and November 2024 to 26,635 in the same duration in 2025, according to US government information.
As the government moves forward with its research study abroad policies, it must take advantage of the insights and experience of the private sector more effectively
Tatsuhiko Hoshino, JSARI
According to JAOS, insufficient data and policy analysis are preventing “strategic growth” in Japan’s outgoing mobility, with JSARI aiming to build a more powerful research study base to support nationwide interests and deliver more trustworthy insights.
“The official statistics on Japanese trainees studying abroad, as recorded by the government, do not consist of those handled mainly by personal research study abroad agencies– such as working professionals or K-12 students who go abroad for graduation purposes without attending Japanese middle or high schools,” Tatsuhiko Hoshino, the first director of JSARI, informed The PIE News.
“JSARI intends to bridge this gap. As the federal government progresses with its research study abroad policies, it ought to leverage the insights and experience of the private sector more effectively. JSARI means to provide the government with the information and statistics necessary to make an engaging case for this cooperation.”
Led by Hoshino, JSARI is supported by a senior advisory group headed by Mitsuhide Shiraki, professor emeritus at Waseda University, alongside a seven-strong panel of academics and policymakers.
JAOS, commemorating 35 years of industry management, will utilize JSARI to perform independent studies and analysis on worldwide movement and international education, generating data and insights on their social and financial effect. It will also utilize these insights to support policy and decision-making for governments, educational institutions, and related organisations.
With more Japanese trainees choosing to study in Asia– a 2024 JAOS study found 14,713 trainees in the area, up from 12,460 in 2019– driven by lower expenses and growing TNE options, Hoshino sees an environment where trainees can access worldwide education without leaving Japan or Asia.
“For English language research studies, the Philippines has ended up being a main hub, while Malaysia and Taiwan are increasingly working as the go-to locations for degree-seeking trainees. Moreover, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea have actually ended up being popular choices for overseas educational journeys organized by Japanese high schools and universities,” mentioned Hoshino.
“Key examples of TNE development in Japan include Temple University’s Japan school, which has seen a surge in enrolments, as well as foundation programs released in your area by organizations such as the University of New South Wales and UCSI University. At the school level, more than 60 Japanese high schools now provide double diploma programs with the Providence Nation Day School, enabling trainees to make both Japanese and US credentials.”
JSARI will also publish a yearly “White Paper on Research Study Abroad” every November 12, designated “Study Abroad Day”, combining JAOS’s analytical information with in-depth research, with the inaugural edition focusing on the previous global experiences of trainees pursuing overseas degrees.
“While the specific contents of this year’s White Paper on Study Abroad are still being finalised, it is set to include the annual JAOS Statistical Study on Japanese students studying abroad.
“Additionally, the report will feature arise from an upcoming research concentrating on Japanese students who have registered in abroad universities, specifically examining whether they had prior research study abroad experience and the specific nature of those experiences,” stated Hoshino.