Japan, US discuss agreement on students
Japan and the United States have confirmed that they will work together to double the number of their students studying in the other country by 2020.
Japan's education minister Hakubun Shimomura spoke to reporters in Washington on Tuesday, following a meeting with US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
Shimomura said the plan is based on an agreement reached during the Japan-US summit last Thursday.
The number of Japanese students studying in the United States has been on the decline since peaking at around 50,000 in 1997. In 2013, the number fell below 20,000.
The Japanese government is planning measures to bring the number back up to 50,000 by 2020. Proposals include making it easier to exchange class credits between universities.
Shimomura says students see few merits in studying overseas, and worry about a delay in finding employment when they return.
He says he wants to create an environment in Japan that will make overseas study experience an advantage in landing jobs.
The number of Chinese students in the US continues to rise, hitting 235,000 last year