No. of foreign students reaches record 124,000+

TOKYO, Dec. 25 Kyodo - The number of foreign students studying in Japan reached a record 123,829 in the current fiscal year, up 5,331 from fiscal 2007, a student support organization announced Thursday.

It is notable that the number of students studying at institutions to acquire
language skills and professional techniques increased 3,354 from a year
earlier, the Japan Student Services Organization said.
It said foreign students think such schools will lead them to good jobs.
Students from China led the wave of foreign students with 72,766, followed by
South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam, while Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in
Oita Prefecture accepted the largest number of foreign students at 2,644, the
organization said.
Among the foreign students in Japan, 32,666 were enrolled in graduate schools,
63,175 in university undergraduate programs, junior colleges or higher
professional schools and 25,753 in professional schools, according to the
organization.
The government aims to accept 300,000 foreign students, earmarking about 43
billion yen in the fiscal 2009 budget to achieve the goal by enhancing the
scholarship system for foreign students and other measures.
==Kyodo
2008-12-26 00:09:55