The Japanese Government seeks to attract Indian students in greater numbers as it competes with the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Germany as a top study destination for Indian students. As of May 2024, approximately 1,600 Indian students were studying in Japan, a relatively low figure compared to other countries. “A larger number of students from China flock to Japan because of their cultural and geographical proximity. They make up about 75% of Japan’s international student intake. To make the classrooms more diverse, there is a lot of potential to increase the intake of Indian students”, says Sagar Bahadur, Executive Director, Asia and Head of Regional Strategy, Acumen.
Why Japan?
The Japanese Government Scholarship (MEXT) provides substantial financial support to international students, including Indians. Mr. Bahadur says that the MEXT scholarship remains the most recognised funding option, which covers tuition, living, and other expenses. Another major programme is JASSO. He also informs that most universities offer their own scholarships, mostly at the departmental level.
Electrical, Civil, Mechanical, and Chemical Engineering are a few of the best programmes in the University of Tokyo, the top-ranked institution in the country. In 2011, it came second only to Harvard for the number of alumni in CEO positions in Fortune 500 companies. Kyoto University, the second most ranked in the country, boasts of producing world-beating researchers, including 13 Nobel Prize laureates. Advanced studies in Environmental, Nuclear, Materials Science, and Energy Engineering at Kyoto University are well regarded.
Mr. Bahadur highlights that the fees at Japanese universities are one-tenth of U.S. universities. They cost around 3,000–4,000 USD per year. Talking about work opportunities after study, Mr. Bahadur says, the options are similar to that of other preferred destinations. He informs that while studying, students may work up to 28 hours per week, and 40 hours during breaks. Internship opportunities are integrated into programs. Mr. Bahadur says that Japan provides an option to stay in the country after graduation to provide time for job hunt.
Beyond education, Japan is fostering ties with Indian startups through JETRO, its trade promotion body. Mr. Bahadur informs that JETRO has five offices in India and supports 1,400 Japanese companies already present in the country. Talking about the intent to increase the presence of Indian entrepreneurs in Japan, Mr. Bahadur says JETRO offers plug-and-play office spaces for Indian startups, legal and financial support, and connections to banks.
Concerns of Indian students
The understanding is that Indians need to master Japanese as a necessity to get by in the country. Mr. Bahadur says, “In the last three to four years, Japanese universities have introduced full English-taught programs on a large scale. However, awareness remains limited. Many students and parents in India still do not realise that it is possible to pursue a complete degree in English in Japan”.
Mr. Bahadur says that language remains a barrier, but progress is being made. Japanese language learning is often integrated into university programs, and students are increasingly motivated to study it alongside their degrees. “This is especially important as many multinational corporations in Japan seek STEM, AI, robotics, and healthcare talent, while still valuing basic Japanese proficiency for workplace integration”, he said.
Relevant industries
Mr. Bahadur says the most relevant industries in Japan for Indian students are semiconductors, AI, robotics, mobility, healthcare, and biotechnology, as these are areas where Japan has advanced and India has a sharp talent to provide.
He says, “Japanese corporations such as Toyota, Nissan, Sony, and Fujitsu are engaging with Indian universities directly. Through initiatives supported by JETRO, Japanese companies are building directories of Indian institutions to create talent pipelines. Partnerships already exist with several IITs, including Hyderabad, Madras, and Mumbai, and Japan is increasingly expanding collaborations beyond the IITs to regional universities as well”.
Mr. Bahadur talks about the goal to bring 15,000 Indian students to Japan within the next five years. To achieve this, the Japanese Language Labs initiative is being introduced in Indian schools to expose students from Class 6 onwards to the Japanese language and culture.
Mr. Bahadur says, culturally, Japan and India already share strong links. Many Indian students are not aware of Japan’s deep presence in their daily lives. If we look around we see companies like Suzuki and Toyota cars, the Delhi Metro, QR codes, ATMs, and instant noodles. He says, “Once exposed to these connections, students realise Japan is not as distant as they assumed”.
Published – September 30, 2025 06:09 pm IST
AloJapan.com