The number of foreign students in Japan increased in 2023.

Foreign student numbers in Japan rebound in 2023, but still below prepandemic levels

After a challenging period during the pandemic, the number of foreign students in Japan has seen a significant recovery in 2023, according to a recent survey by the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO). The survey revealed a 20.8% increase in the number of foreign students, reaching a total of 279,274 as of May 2023 compared to the previous year.

One of the key factors contributing to this increase was the gradual lifting of COVID-19 travel restrictions by the government in 2022. As a result, the number of foreign students enrolled in Japanese-language schools nearly doubled, reaching an all-time high of 90,719.

However, despite this positive trend, the number of foreign students enrolled in higher education institutions experienced a slower increase, with the latest figure representing just over 80% of the prepandemic level. In fact, the number of foreign students enrolled in bachelor’s and associate degree programs even saw a slight decrease compared to 2022.

Notably, students from China continued to make up the largest proportion of foreign students in Japan, with 115,493 students. But the survey also highlighted an increase in the number of students from Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and the United States compared to 2019.

In addition to foreign students coming to Japan, the survey also looked at Japanese students studying abroad. The data showed a fivefold increase in the number of Japanese students studying overseas in 2022, reaching 58,162. However, this figure is still less than half of the 2019 total, with the top destinations for Japanese students including the United States, Canada, Australia, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.