English Top » Study in Japan » Follow-up Services for International Students who studied in Japan » Japan Alumni eNews » JASSO Overseas Representative Offices
JASSO has representative offices in Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Thailand and Malaysia and to provide information and advice to people interested in studying in Japan, in cooperation with relevant organizations including Japan alumni associations.
This page describes each overseas representative office's activities.
Republic of Korea
Indonesia
Thailand
Malaysia
The Thai Office provides information pertaining to studying in Japan and also offers study-abroad consultation to students in Thailand who wish to study in Japan.
As its regular activities, the Thai Office from April 2010 to January 2011 provided brochures and study-abroad materials of Japanese universities to visitors so that they could take a look at them to select educational institutions that best suited their study-abroad goals and offered private consultations so that they could choose the most suitable school to study at as well as obtain information pertaining to scholarships.
Moreover, we have heretofore been participating in study-abroad information sessions in the Bangkok area. Nevertheless, as an additional step, we also began participating in such information sessions conducted by universities and high schools in local cities and towns in Thailand where we held lectures and set up booths to provide the latest information on studying in Japan to those interested in doing so.
Through these information sessions, etc., we were able to distribute materials and provide the latest information on studying in Japan to a total of 7,399 individuals interested in doing so.
Many of the students who participated in the sessions, etc. wished to study in Japan, indicating that studying in Japan was something that gained even more attention than before.
The Thai Office would like to continue conducting such proactive activities so that students and school officials may feel a closer connection to studying in Japan. As of May 1, 2010, there are 2,429 students from Thailand studying in Japan. We truly hope that this number will increase in the near future.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is implementing a program called the “Global 30 (G30)” which selects universities that can act as hubs to provide new opportunities of studying in Japan and promote internationalized hubs that represent Japan which works on streamlining the structure (which includes the internationalization of universities) to accept students from abroad.
Currently, 13 universities have been selected, which are Tohoku University, University of Tsukuba, University of Tokyo, Nagoya University, Kyoto University, Osaka University, Kyushu University, Keio University, Sophia University, Meiji University, Waseda University, Doshisha University, and Ritsumeikan University. They are working on significantly expanding the number of courses allowing students to earn their degrees through classes conducted in English only as well as enhancing their structures to accept students from abroad, providing learning opportunities regarding Japanese language and culture, and promoting strategic international cooperation.
Although there were many cases thus far where overseas students studying in Japan were required to speak and comprehend Japanese quite fluently, the courses these universities will offer opportunities for anyone to enroll as long as they are able to speak and comprehend English. Thus, for Thai students who have given up studying in Japan due to their low Japanese abilities, such a chance will open new doors for studying in Japan and make allow them to feel a closer connection.
Nevertheless, since it is after all studying in Japan, the students will certainly be provided the opportunity to learn Japanese language and culture and thus may learn how to speak the language during the years they spend in this country. Indeed, this new opportunity should be utilized to study in Japan.
The Thai Office supports high schools and universities in Thailand that conduct study-abroad information sessions. If you are a teacher or staff working at an educational institution in Thailand after completing your studies in Japan and are thinking of conducting a study abroad information session, please feel free to consult us. We are willing to help you by providing materials and sending lecturers.
When you enter your third year of high school, friends often talk about what they are going to do after graduation – whether they are going to go to college or get a job, and which university to go to and what to study if they are going to continue their schooling. Sometimes talking about it can make you confused and even cease understanding what you want to do. There are also people who have been interested in Japan for a long time and are thinking that they would like to study abroad in Japan.
[The experiences of “A”]
A finally decided to study abroad in Japan after thinking about it for a long time. He gathered information, found resources, and got in contact with schools. Everything was okay – the type of entrance examination system, application deadlines, and amount of fees. All that was left was receiving his Certificate of Eligibility for Resident Status. His heart pounded with worry about whether he would be able to receive it, but then it finally came one day! Yay! It wouldn’t be long before his dream came true. He applied for a visa and other necessary paperwork from the Japanese Embassy, and then began to wait. As he waited, he had to make a variety of preparations for his journey to Japan.
There are only two seasons in Indonesia, but Japan has four seasons. A was confused about what sort of clothes he should take for the winter. He had other worries as well, such as what medicines he would need and how much money he should bring. His heart was full of all sorts of emotions: happiness, sadness at leaving his family, and expectation from imagining what sort of country Japan actually is. Wait for me, Japan!
The day came for A’s departure to Japan. It was the day that he would leave behind his own country, family, home, friends, school, and the town he loved. When he got onto the plane he thought about his life up until then, and was glad that all the difficult procedures had gone so well. His new life was starting! He was scared but happy to think of his new lifestyle, new people, new school, and new country! What should he do when he arrived in Japan? He began thinking of different plans, and felt like a new adventure was beginning.
A arrived in Japan and took his first breath of Japan’s air. He experienced many new discoveries and encounters finding Japanese trains, his school, his dormitory, and his apartment.
One day passed, then one week, one month, three months… It wasn’t all fun, though; A also experienced many difficulties. His school was quite far from the train station and it was hard to walk there. His Japanese wasn’t very good so he couldn’t say what he wanted to. He had a hard time finding a part time job, and even when he did everyone who worked there spoke so fast that he couldn’t understand them, so they were always getting angry at him. He wondered why his room was so small, why he had to take the train and run to catch his connecting train…
“That’s it, he thought. “It’s too hard to live in Japan!”
When he looked at photographs of his parents, siblings, and friends, he remembered his life in Indonesia and began to cry. He missed everyone and wanted to be near them, to feel the warmth of being together, to go home… His goal was to study abroad in Japan, but he never thought it would be so terrible and difficult.
[Advice to A]
First of all, take a deep breath. Things were hard but you did your best, so everything is okay. No matter where you are, you will experience difficulties. Not all of life is fun – it also involves hardship. But when you’re far apart from the people who constantly support you, you can feel alone and become very lonely. Don’t worry – even though you’re far apart, your parents, siblings, and friends are always praying for you.
Life doesn’t always go according to plan. Studying abroad isn’t your final goal but is the first step towards making your dreams come true. To realize your dreams, you don’t just go to school, study, and learn only about the specialized subjects you enjoy. You also build self-reliance and grow while learning about life. As you adapt to Japanese society, there will be times that you feel overwhelmed by human relationships and culture shock. Your strength is born from that pain. I believe that by overcoming your unhappy feelings you can become a strong human being.
Please accept that the life of an international student involves fun but also many unpleasant or difficult things. Just like many colors together make a beautiful rainbow, a variety of experiences bring rich color to your life. The international students who completed their studies in Japan before you also lived through fun and difficult things, and they learned from their experiences. These experiences are a treasure.
When things don’t go according to plan, you should consider what is wrong, look at yourself, and analyze what is happening. Why aren’t things going as you planned? Try consulting with your teachers, friends, or older students. And when you make plans, you need to consider your own skills as well. It’s okay to dream about going to the best university, but if this doesn’t come true it’s a good idea to also research other universities as well.
Life doesn’t always happen according to plan. When you think about it, isn’t it more interesting that way? Only God knows what is going to happen in the future, and even when we think that we have planned things perfectly our fate is probably something different. Don’t you think that life would be very boring if it all went as planned? That’s why you should try to be positive and enjoy yourself no matter what happens.
“I’m having trouble contacting the university. What should I do?”
“I haven’t heard anything from the university. How should I reply to the embassy?”
“If I don’t hear from the university, will my scholarship still be valid?”
The student who asked me these sorts of questions a year ago is now sitting in front of me. When “K” went home during his Japanese university’s summer vacation, he went out of his way to come say hi at the Malaysia office. He had received a scholarship from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and went to Japan to enter an MBA program in English at a private university in Tokyo.
Right after K arrived in Japan, he learned from the experience of a Malaysian senpai (meaning his “senior”) at the university’s laboratory. A year since then, K is now helping his Malaysian kohai (“juniors”) studying with MEXT scholarships. He spoke excitedly and with a gleam in his eyes about things like picking them up on their arrival, guiding them through the school, laboratory and other facilities, as well as on giving them advice. He seems to be thoroughly accustomed to the Japanese senpai-kohai culture.
K also spoke about things such as his daily studies at the lab, the communication gap he faces with his professors and Japanese students taking the same seminars, as well as about international graduate students receiving the same MEXT scholarship while enrolled at other universities. He particularly spoke in detail about the graduate students’ response to courses they are taking in English at each university. Since classes are in English, there are graduate students who are not yet accomplished in Japanese when they apply for admission, but they have to master the language while they study in their major. As for whether hard course schedules can make room to be compatible with Japanese language studies as well, each university system and laboratory seems to tackle this issue differently. And when it comes to whether they can communicate well in Japanese, there seem to be great differences according to the effort each student makes.
Another Malaysian MEXT scholar, “R,” emailed me about his study abroad experience. Like K, he took an MBA course in English and graduated after two years, but he reported, “I’m still not very proficient at Japanese.” R is now working overseas and seems to be satisfied with his job. He also thoroughly enjoyed studying in Japan and he showed me a lot of fun photos.
Regardless of whether they have mastered Japanese, both K and R chose to study in Japan and were able to live life to the fullest as international students. I’d always thought that if you study in Japan then you’ll be able to speak Japanese well, but I realized from K and R that I can’t just base my thinking on such assumptions.
Before he left the office, I asked K, “Do you think you made the right choice to study in Japan and to be at the university [laboratory] you’re at now? “ K answered, “I’ve come to like the university very much. Each Japanese university seems to have different academic policies for conducting classes in English, but I would highly recommend studying in Japan.” K’s response left me with a strong impression.
It’s been quite a while since I myself studied in Japan. I believe that in addition to information in books and on the internet, listening to students themselves is an extremely valuable source of information for a counselor on the latest educational systems at Japanese universities and on government policies. One could say that the role of a counselor at an overseas office to provide general information on studying in Japan makes the “first impression” of the country on students who will go there or who are thinking of going. This is why I think that a counselor must have the skill to perceive students’ needs and provide appropriate information. Thus, “self-directed growth” is extremely important as a counselor.
For example, if a student asks detailed questions on application procedures for scholarships prior to going to Japan, I’ll fret about what the best advice would be for that student because I’ve never applied for one. However, a counselor’s job is not just to talk about one’s own experience. He or she must listen carefully to and understand the student, then respond with the most suitable advice.
I am so deeply moved when a student who studied in Japan after receiving counseling takes the trouble to visit the office and greet us. But I don’t think we should simply be pleased and satisfied to hear someone say “Thank you.” This office is not a place to provide specialized psychological counseling: we offer general information to students who are planning to study in Japan. However, the more counseling experience you build up, the more often just giving general information does not satisfy the needs of a student. At times we have to also provide career counseling. This is no simple matter. We must assist using both our counseling knowledge and abundant information sources. In addition to written information, it is important for us to get the latest from students studying in Japan to assist us in our counseling work. That’s how I feel about K’s friendly visit to the office. So when someone says “Thank you,” I want to take it just for what it is because it encourages me to do my job even better.
NOTICE
The JASSO Malaysia office has moved to “NoRth Point ToweR A” next to the Megamall Mid Valley shopping center in
Mid Valley is a well-known shopping center in the city of Kuala Lumpur. There is a commuter train station and a giant underground parking garage, making it a convenient place for students taking the train and those driving a car.
If you have the chance to visit Malaysia, where it always feels like summer, make sure to visit us at the JASSO Malaysia office.
Where do you get your school information when deciding on a school to study at as an international student? School brochures? School websites? Information sessions on studying in Japan? Or perhaps you go through an agency? Well, have you heard about JASSO’s Japan Education Fairs?
JASSO gets Japanese universities and other organizations to participate in putting on Japan Education Fairs and offers the latest and accurate information on characteristics and more regarding each university’s and other institutes’ education and research in order for those overseas who aspire to study in Japan to select the school that suits their aspirations and have a rewarding study abroad experience. In addition, JASSO collaborates with associations for former international students and Japan’s embassies and consulates abroad to run Japan Education Seminars. Fairs and seminars are scheduled in fourteen countries this academic year, including Korea.
Events on Study in Japan Fairs are held every year in Seoul and Busan, Korea. The fairs in Korea are the biggest ones organized by JASSO. Last year, a total of about 190 universities (including graduate schools), junior colleges, vocational schools and Japanese language schools (73 universities and 118 vocational and Japanese language schools) set up booths and there were over 7,000 attendees (3,200 in Busan and 4,548 in Seoul). In Korea, there are also study abroad information sessions both large and small held in addition to JASSO’s fairs. Only JASSO’s fairs have this many information sessions on studying in Japan with direct exhibitions by universities, vocational schools and Japanese language schools. This year’s fairs will be held on Saturday, September 11th in Busan and Sunday the 12th in Seoul, where 77 universities and 120 vocational and Japanese language schools will set up booths.
Japan Education Fairs (Korea) Details
Participating organizations set up individual booths at the venue where entrance examination staff, teachers and other personnel provide direct consultations. Interpreting is available at each booth so that those who cannot speak Japanese won’t hesitate to receive a consultation. School information pamphlets, application information and other materials that are otherwise unavailable in Korea are particularly popular, and many attendees come to get them. At the Seoul venue last year, crowds formed lines three hours prior to the 11 a.m. opening to obtain these materials. Most attendees are high school and university students, but recently junior high school students have also been attending.
Other than universities and other schools, joint sponsors like JASSO set up booths and provide individual consultations. The JASSO booth handles general topics on studying in Japan. The booth for the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Korea and the Consulate-General of Japan at Busan handles topics such as government-sponsored international study and status of residence. The booth for the Korea-Japan Cultural Exchange Association and the Center of Korea-Japan Exchange, Busan (both of which administer the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students [EJU]) handles information on the EJU. The booth for the Metropolitan Tokyo Professional Institution Association, the National Vocational School Federation and the Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education handles consultations on vocational and Japanese language schools and also conducts orientations.
Here is an introduction on how you can make use of the fairs.
1. Decide on some interesting schools to visit!
Many schools participate in the fairs, so you do not have time to visit all the booths. For the fairs in Korea you can check the list of participating schools at the fair website, so look at that in advance and decide which schools interest you. You should visit those schools’ booths at the venue.
2. Check application information and such before the fair!
There are entrance examination staff and instructors at each school’s booth, so you’ll have a chance to ask for a conversation directly related to entrance examinations and the schools. We recommend you check application information and such in advance in order to take advantage of this opportunity. Check this at the schools’ websites and elsewhere and take notes of questions or concerns you may have. By doing that you’ll be able to quickly ask for the information you need so that you can visit a lot of booths.
3. Use the Venue Guide !
Venue Guides are handed out at the reception desk on the day of the fair. The Guide has the names of participating schools and organizations, booth numbers, booth locations and other information printed in it, so use that to find the schools you’re interested in.
4. Use the List of Majors !
A List of Majors is made and handed out at the reception desk so you can quickly check what majors are available at each participating university and other schools at JASSO fairs. Even if you haven’t decided on what schools you’d like to study at, if you use the List of Majors then you’ll know what school has the major you want to study.
5. For those who want to have an in-depth consultation…
If you want to give priority to direct consultations over school materials, then consider coming in the afternoon when there are relatively fewer attendees!
Make sure to join a JASSO fair and find the information you’re looking for!
WEB: http://www.e-studyjapan.co.kr/
The Thailand Office provides information and consultations on studying in Japan for Thai students who wish to do so. So now we’ll present you with what our work has taught us about what it’s like for Thai students to study in Japan recently.
There are many Thai students who think about studying in Japan, but their first worry is about the language. Japanese language ability is mainly limited to those students who have lived in Japan with their parents or other Thai high schoolers who are able to understand Japanese university classes.
Recently, as English curriculums have been improved at Thai high schools, there are more students with good enough English to understand university classes, so we get a lot of questions at our Thai office from those kinds of students about courses in English that are good for academic credit.
However, there are now only 162 courses in English that are good for academic credit at Japanese universities,1 and most of these are on the graduate level, with only 5 courses on the undergraduate level.1
According to a document published by the Student Services Division in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports Science and Technology (MEXT),2 there are 30 national universities running short-term study abroad courses in English at the undergraduate level, 1 public university establishing a special course in English and 35 private universities with short-term study abroad programs. This does not meet the needs of Thai students aspiring to receive academic credit studying in Japan.
There are many courses in English at universities designated by the Global 30 Project in the sciences, but this does not appeal to students aspiring to study liberal arts.
Meanwhile, there are many students without good English skills who would rather learn Japanese than English and enter courses in Japanese, for which there are options in all fields. These students go on to study Japanese, but since it is faster for them to do so in Japan than in Thailand, they typically enter Japanese language schools in Japan.
In order to enter a Japanese language school, one must first obtain information on such schools in Japan and select the right one. Next an applicant must send an admissions application and go through other admissions procedures, but many students give up due to the complexity of the process, which includes selecting the right school from among the numerous choices and filling in applications in Japanese, English, Chinese or Korean.
There are international student placement services in Thailand who act as agents for students, from selecting a school through admissions procedures. Most are for students who want to study in Europe, the United States or Australia. However, as more students aspire to study in Japan, they have started to offer placement for Japanese language schools in Japan. Some new international student placement services specializing in studying in Japan have also appeared.
If you go through a placement service there is a processing fee, but you don’t have to worry since many forms are written in Thai and the procedures, from selecting a school to applying for a visa, are simple, so an international student placement service is the first step to studying in Japan for many Thai students.
Below are some statistics on students placed by Lighthouse Info Service (Jeducation), an international student placement service specializing in studying in Japan.
* Lighthouse Info Service (Jeducation) materials.
A problem with going through an international student placement service is that the number of Japanese language schools one can enter is limited. Thus, some students are unable to find the school that suits them and as a result cannot improve their Japanese language ability.
Using an international student placement service to study abroad is very convenient for those with no time to spare, but you need to consult with such a service with the understanding of the risk that you may select the wrong school for you and that a fee will be incurred.
However, the procedures for Japanese language schools are easier than you think. Why? Because the staff at these schools have plenty of experience working on a regular basis with students who do not understand Japanese.
In addition to speaking Japanese so you can live and study in Japan, various procedures are required. So why don’t you try selecting a Japanese language school and going through the admissions procedures yourself? The JASSO Thailand Office has plenty of information on Japanese language schools to help someone like you.
* Citations
1. “University Degree Courses Offered in English.” JASSO.
2. “Outline of the Student Exchange System in Japan .” Student Services Division, Higher Education Bureau, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, 2009.
Reference:
Among the Thai companies offering international student placement services for study in Japan, four are members of the Thai International Education Consultants Association (TIECA): B.E.B.C., Lighthouse Info Service (Jeducation), Worantex (Thailand) and M.A.G. Corporation (Mainichi Academic Group). Two of these companies also specialize specifically in studying in Japan: Lighthouse Info Service (Jeducation) and M.A.G. Corporation (Mainichi Academic Group).
* TIECA web site : http://www.tieca.com/eng/agencies.php
Visitors to the JASSO Indonesia office come not only to ask about schools, but also pose questions about topics such as living in Japan and Japanese customs. Some people also phone up and ask, “My child has just gone to Japan and I want to send a package. Can you tell me how I should mail it?” It may seem like a trivial matter to us, but to the individual asking, it’s very important.
It’s a big worry for parents when their kids go to or live in a country that they don’t know anything about. There are all sorts of uncertainties. Of course, the student studying has the biggest uncertainties, but so do the parents that send them. One time when a child went thousands of kilometers away from home, far away from the parents where it was difficult just to talk and hear each other’s voices, the parents feared that their sensitive child may give up on studying, so they asked us how they could make their child’s new life in Japan go smoothly.
There’s a saying in Indonesia that goes “Lain Padang Lain Belalang,” which literally means, “Where the grass is different, so are the locusts.” The English equivalent is “So many countries, so many customs.” This is natural, of course. There are nearly 200 countries in the world, and there are regions within countries with different customers and manners. Indonesia is known for having more ethnic groups than any other country in the world, and there are just as many systems for customs and
manners as there are ethnic groups.
Each country has its own native culture and customs. Then there is even more variation in culture and customs between regions. For example, Westerners greet each other with a handshake. However, people in Thailand put their palms together and hold their hands near their chest, while Japanese people bow. Men among the Betawi people living in Jakarta, Indonesia lift both hands to their ears when making a formal greeting. There are several ways of doing just one thing like a greeting. Which is correct or the most polite? Well, it’s not a question of which is correct or polite. What is most important is mutual understanding. If you can understand each other’s customs, culture and manners, then there won’t be any misunderstandings.
For example, some foreign visitors to Japan mistakenly step into a Japanese person’s home without taking off their shoes. The Japanese person may get angry if he or she does not know about foreign customs or manners, but one who knows will be more understanding. However, there will certainly be lots of friction if the foreigner knows about local customs and such, yet purposely ignores them. When there is friction, that person’s lifestyle stops being fun. It is important for you to know beforehand that each country has its own customs for everyday life, from the time they wake up until they go to bed.
There will probably be a lot of confusing things when you start studying in Japan, but it’s important to adapt so that your life there can go smoothly. Many countries have expressions saying that when you live in another land, it’s best to live according to its customs and manners. In Japanese, it’s “Gou ni itte wa, gou ni shitagau,” which literally means, “When you enter the village, do as the village does.” In English you say, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” In Indonesia, the saying goes, “Dimana Bumi di Pijak di situ langit di Junjung,” which literally means, “Whatever land you go to, be mindful of its atmosphe.
Provider of photos : Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Republic of Indonesia
Today, I'm going to explain about a document called a "Research Plan".
A research plan is a required document for those of you who plan to apply for a graduate school in Japan. But even if you only plan to go on a short study abroad program, or are already studying abroad, I think it's useful to understand how a research plan is used as well as how you can prepare your own research plan.
The other day, I was providing my usual explanation about how to contact graduate schools in Japan to a student who came in for a consultation. I handed out a documents that included an "Index of Majors" and "University Degree Courses Offered in English" to the student and advised him that he needed to have his research plan written prior to contacting universities in Japan. That was when his expression froze up for a moment.
"What is a research plan?" he asked. "How do I prepare it?"
A research plan is an important document reviewed by the graduate school as part of their admission process. It explains the purpose and method of the research that you plan to conduct at the graduate school. Although it varies from school to school, a research plan is typically a document that is several pages long. It clearly outlines the purpose and reason for your research, previous studies on the subject, and how and what you plan to analyze. The document allows professors, who might not know you well, to assess your level of motivation towards the research, research processes, aptitude, and so on.
I'm asked similar questions from other students quite often. And as I talk with them more, I'm beginning to understand why I get these questions.
As in most other countries, each major at each university in Malaysia has a different set of requirements for graduation. While some universities require a graduation thesis or research project output, others allow students to graduate as long as they complete their pre-determined curriculum. For this reason, there are a number of students who have never conducted independent research on a given subject. Grasping the concept of a research plan might be difficult for those students.
When I'm advising these students, there is something that I make sure that they understand: the difference between bachelor's program and master's/doctor's program. A graduate school isn't an extension of an undergraduate school. It's where a student with a research project goes in order to solve his/her question—or at least to obtain some form of resolution to the question.
Unlike undergraduate school, applying for a graduate school requires you to identify a field that you want to research. You then need to search for a Japanese graduate school and professor suitable for your research field, and contact them in order to obtain approval for admission. A research plan, therefore, not only defines your research plan, but also becomes a necessary communication tool.
To prepare your research plan, you need to think through why you want to go to a graduate school and which research field you are interested in. Doing this prior to asking professors or experienced students in your field for advice will help the consultation go more smoothly. It will also help you in identifying which graduate school is best for you.
Two books that we often use at our Malaysia Office to answer questions about how to write or organize a research plan are "Daigaku Hen-nyu/Daigakuin Nyushi: Gokaku! Ronbun no Kakikata (College Transfer/Graduate School Admission: Accepted! How to Write a Research Paper)" and "Kenkyu Keikakusho Dezain: Daigakuin Nyushi kara Shushi Ronbun Kansei made (Designing a Research Plan: From Taking Graduate School Entrance Exams to Completing a Master's Thesis)," both of which are written in Japanese and published by Tokyo Tosho Co., Ltd.
In addition, JASSO has published "Jissen Kenkyukeikaku Sakuseihou (Practical Methods for Preparing a Research Plan)" in 2009, and has made some sample pages available on the website (*1). But many of the students who come in for a consultation cannot understand Japanese and therefore wish that there were reference materials in English.
You can browse these reference books at one of JASSO’s overseas offices as well as at one of the designated public facilities to access information on study in Japan. It's also a good idea to use books about how to write a well-organized paper in your own language as a reference.
This process allows you to rethink the reasons for selecting Japan as a place to study and to review your goals. We are here to help you prepare a better research plan.
I can assure you that this is useful for everyone—not only for those planning to go to a graduate school, but also for those planning to go to an undergraduate school.
(*1)
"Jissen Kenkyukeikaku Sakuseihou (Practical Methods for Preparing a Research Plan)" (Tokyo Japanese Language Education Center / JASSO) (In Japanese Only)
What aspects about studying in Japan concern you?
How to prepare for your studies abroad? How much the tuition is? Whether there are scholarships? How much the cost of living is? These are some basic questions to which everyone wants answers, but we at the Korea Office often also receive consultation about the following matters:
- Which school is famous for its or has an elite xxx department or xxx major?
- Which Japanese university is the same level as Korea’s xxx University?
- Which university (or faculty or department) has a high employment rate?
- I want to see a ranking of universities (or graduate schools).
- What is the minimum passing score for the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU)?
That is, the students who come to us for advice have not only general questions about studying abroad but also, more noticeably, specific questions about the name value or ranking of universities. We asked some students why they want such information. Their answers included: “I want to work in Japan after graduation, so I want to enter a celebrated Japanese university.” “Even if I study in Japan, I won’t be recognized in Korea unless I graduate from a prominent university.”
In Korea, the Korean Council for University Education, working under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST; the equivalent of Japan’s MEXT) performs a university general evaluation authorization every five years, and an academic field evaluation targeting two or three fields each year. Here, the MEST evaluates all universities from the perspective of administration and finance, development strategy and vision, educational environment and support system, research results, and students and faculty, and announces the results, ranking universities as "most excellent", "excellent", "authorized", "needs improvement". Some newspapers also evaluate and rank universities under their own criteria. And many people believe in these rankings.
Korea also requires students applying to any university to take a standardized annual College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). After each test, the CSAT score ranking is compiled and released by such bodies as university prep schools, private schools and publishers based on the results provided by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, which is responsible for implementing and grading the test. The data lists the average, highest and lowest scores of successful applicants to every university over the past several years. Students refer to this data and apply to universities according to their own score, and then take the individual university’s entrance exams. In Korea, universities with high CSAT scores are considered elite or prestigious.
Korean society is inclined to academic pedigree, and many believe that the university they enter determines the course of their life. As a consequence, students who wish to study in Japan also want to enroll in a university famous or high-ranking for its so-and-so major or that has a high employment rate – a so-called elite or prestigious university. And this is why we at the Korea Office receive many requests for rankings of Japanese universities or standard scores for international students.
The situation differs, however, between taking an entrance exam at a Korean university and taking one at a Japanese university as an international student. Many students who consult with us tend to think that Japan’s “deviation value” system is similar to Korea’s CSAT score ranking, and therefore that universities with a high standard score are prestigious universities. The standard score is referred to by Japanese high school students to grasp the degree of difficulty of a university’s entrance exam. It is not an objective value that indicates a university’s quality or level, although there is a connection to some extent. Japan does not have an official ranking system. Some newspapers and publishers release rankings, as in Korea, but their evaluations are based on original standards that cover limited criteria. We ask students not to rely on such rankings and standard scores as their only reference.
Please also note that very few Japanese universities release the passing score for the EJU (Acceptance Level of Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) ). This is because the selection for enrollment is based on the overall assessment of many factors besides the EJU grade, such as documents submitted and the university’s exam and interview. The criteria for these individual evaluations are seldom released either, but it could be a good idea to ask older students around you. If you attend a Japanese language school, it would also be worthwhile to receive guidance about what courses to pursue based on past data.
All things considered, what matters most is your purpose for wanting to study. We recommend widening your search outside the scope of grades and finding a university that would help you realize your goals (Japan Study Support: Information for foreign students).
The Student Guide to Japan published by JASSO also introduces useful, detailed tips to finding the right university. This is another good source of information (Student Guide to Japan).
Thailand is seeing a boom in the popularity of short-term overseas stay programs that promise to improve students’ knowledge and expand their vision. One such initiative is the Work & Travel international exchange program offered by the US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in which people from other countries can take on a job while studying English and traveling in the United States for a maximum of four months.
At a recent study abroad seminar held at the Silpakorn University Phetchaburi IT Campus, nine of the ten participating institutions offered Work & Travel program – JASSO was the sole exception. Although all groups provided information about other options as well, such as long- and short-term overseas stays including study programs, Work & Travel appeared to grab the most attention from the students. I wondered what was so special about it, and asked the students who inquired whether Japan offered a similar program about their views. The majority said they wanted to acquire work experience abroad. Other frequent responses were that knowing which city and company they would work for before taking the trip would be helpful in planning their budget, and that the duration of the program was just right that it wouldn’t interfere with their studies back home.
On the other hand, students who have actually participated in Work & Travel pointed out that some programs are not the “summer vacation on-the-job experience” as agencies have led many Thais to believe, but schemes to employ students at low pay, ignoring their desire to study and not guaranteeing their rights or welfare.
Since the focus of Work & Travel is the job experience, students who enroll in it as they would a study abroad program may be taken by surprise. Those seeking to participate in an overseas stay program would obtain a more fruitful experience if they tried not to get carried away by the image but have a clear sense of purpose and plan their activities during and after their stay.
The seminar made me realize anew that we at JASSO Thailand Office must strive harder to promote the charms of studying in Japan. We should highlight the various choices available: long-term as well as short-term study programs offered by Japanese-language schools, Professional training colleges and universities, and ways to receive government and private scholarships that support long-term international students.
A survey conducted by JASSO also shows that around 80% of students engaged in long-term international study programs in Japan have part-time jobs.
According to a survey by Kasetsart University, 64% of all Thai students studying the Japanese language have decided to do so because they are interested in Japanese culture. In fact many students who come to our office for guidance have specific goals for wanting to study in Japan, for instance some want to work or conduct research in the country in the future.
Recently we get many inquiries about Professional training colleges that offer one- or two-month courses on graphic and animation design. But since expertise in these fields cannot be acquired in a short period, we rarely find programs that match the students’ needs. Short-term courses are usually hands-on experience-type programs. For students who wish to come into contact with Japan’s culture and obtain skills that would ultimately help their work or research activities, we recommend long-term international studies over short-term stays.
Some students are also keen on studying at schools that conduct classes in English as well as Japanese. We would have a wider range of options for these students if more vocational schools and universities offered short-term programs in the English language. Japan also has a Working Holiday system that might encourage more students to undertake long-term international study programs if Thailand was added to the list of participating countries.
Japan is safe, has a unique culture, and offers studies on cutting-edge technologies. Experiencing this country with many appeals is certain to be rewarding. We are here to help students achieve their goals. We hope that you will come by and consult us regarding international studies in Japan.
When my friend commented to me that Jakarta was a "mini New York," I was a little surprised, since I had never thought that before. But when I looked around again at the wide variety of ethnic groups and cultures, I realized that Jakarta really was a mini New York.
As the capital city, Jakarta is full of energy that attracts people. Day and night, a variety of information and goods gather there to be consumed by those people. Indonesia is home to a variety of ethnic groups, and many people have come to Jakarta believing that, as it has been rebuilt, many jobs have been created, and that it is an easy place to live. With so many people coming to the city from rural areas, it has become a highly competitive society, and it's not easy to find a job.
It's not easy to find a job even if you graduate from college, so you have to be good at something. One way is to study abroad. If you go to a foreign country, not only will you be able to study your specialty, but your language skills will improve as well, which is a plus when you're looking for a job. The number of people who want to study in Japan and gain experience they can use in the future is growing.
I have been able to meet a lot of people in my work at the Indonesia office, as I consult with people about studying abroad, or attend local explanation meetings, etc. Many people come to the office each day for a variety of reasons. Some of them even come from far away. The other day, a mother traveled two and a half hours to the office from a place called Bekasi to talk about her daughter.
She was looking for information about graduate schools for her daughter, who was graduating from college. In Indonesia, you have to get a graduate degree to teach at a university, so the daughter wanted to enter graduate school soon. What left an impression on me is that the mother asked me to ride the elevator with her when she left. When I asked why, she said that she was afraid to ride elevators. I was touched by the way she had come to an unfamiliar city to do something for her daughter.
Sometimes we have very young visitors. Once, a junior high student came with her mother to ask about studying animation in Japan. Her mother said that she was crazy about Japanese anime, and that she always talked about going to Japan to study drawing. I explained that there was a drawing test required for entrance to Japanese animation schools. I also talked about living in Japan and what things were like generally in Japan, based on my own experiences studying in Japan.
One big obstacle to going from Indonesia to Japan to study is economic problems. There are big differences between the economic levels of people in Indonesian society, so it's not like anyone can just go study abroad whenever they want to. Some people can't get scholarships, etc., and can't meet the economic requirements, so they have to give up on studying in Japan.
I studied in Japan at my own expense, and things were tough sometimes. I applied for scholarship loans at the university and worked part time, and eventually I achieved my dream. Also, the documents required to apply to study in Japan had to be written in Japanese, but I didn't understand Japanese well at that time. So, I had people who understood Japanese look at my writing over and over until I was able to put it all together.
There isn't just one way to study abroad in Japan. What's important is to hold strongly to your dream and not give up. Anybody can have whatever dream he or she wants. Having the will is more important than having the money. If you have a problem, please visit our office. Let's find a solution together.
"Could you recommend a good Japanese TV drama or movie?"
I was asked this by a counselor when I visited a Chinese independent high school this April to hold an orientation for prospective exchange students wanting to study in Japan. I wondered why the teacher would ask such a question out of the blue. After an end-of-term exams are over, the period until the results of the exam are released is the busiest part of the year for counseling teachers who have to formulate various activity programs based on counseling issues. The most popular program among students is the appreciation of Japanese and South Korean TV dramas and movies. The students belong to the generation interested in the popular culture of Japan or South Korea.
Hayao Miyazaki, a director of animated movies, made Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro) in 1988. The generation who watched the movie as children would have now grown up to become high school or university students. My elder sister's child, who last year graduated from high school and entered university, is also one of the young people who grew up watching Totoro. Students of this generation have been naturally familiarized with Japanese culture and customs since their childhood thanks to the impact of Japanese animated movies. Needless to say, this generation, currently high school students, can feel right at home watching a Japanese teen drama.
Japanese animation, TV dramas, and movies are, of course, categorized as entertainment, but depending on the subject, they can give out various messages and information to people who watch them. The following works have proved very useful in counseling as well.
Water Boys (Fuji Television / 2005) is a teen drama featuring a group of high school boys who give synchronized swimming a go. The never-give-up spirit which says that someone can achieve a goal if they do their best is a typical Japanese characteristic. "Group spirit" where team members are backed up by others is also a theme frequently focused on in Japanese school dramas in which everyone works together to achieve a goal. Such themes are well received by teen high school students who value relationships with their peers.Other than the above, I recommended the following to the counselor: Hikari to Tomoni (With the Light) which received the 41st Television Drama Academy Award for Best Drama; Saga no Gabai Bachan (My GABAI Grandma from Saga) based on a book written by Yoshichi Shimada, which recently became a bestseller in Malaysia as well; and a movie titled Hoshi ni Natta Shonen (Shining Boy & Little Randy).
It is important for young people to gradually foster their own values during their youth, and it is necessary for those around them to guide them appropriately and provide words of encouragement. The media plays a significant role for young people in terms of self-actualization by providing meaningful messages through TV dramas and movies.
I often talk about Japanese pop culture with students when I provide counseling at my office or hold orientations for prospective exchange students wanting to study in Japan at high schools. During the conversation, students gradually open their mind and start talking about why they want to study in Japan. I provide appropriate information according to their own personal objectives. This counseling method seems to be quite well received by the students.
Many Korean students have recently either given up or postponed studying aboard due to the decline in the value of the Korean won. The New York Times have published an article titled “Global Financial Crisis Upends the Plans of Many South Koreans to Study Abroad”, which reported on the situation of Koreans who have cancelled or postponed their plans to study abroad. According to the report, the Korean economy rapidly deteriorated due to the global financial crisis and the downtrend in the value of the Korean won, in particular, is expected to continue. As a result, the situation has recently changed in education passionate Korea, where in addition to university students, even high school and grade school students go study abroad.
According to a research by Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, 350,000 Koreans studied aboard in 2007, but in the first half of 2008, the number of grade school and middle school students sent overseas declined for the first time in 10 years, and the flow of funds spent on studying abroad and research to foreign countries declined 5.8% from $2.3 billion in 2007, the largest margin of decline since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Educational experts analyzed that unemployment rates and the economic recession might have played a role in the decline of Korean international students, but the greatest factor is the increase in costs of studying abroad caused by the decline in the Korean won.
In reality, an increasing number of students are either giving up studying overseas and enlisting in the army, taking a leave of absence, or returning from their school overseas. In the case of international students studying in Japan, the research result showed that some students are working several part time jobs, particularly due to the appreciation in the yen. A student even said, “this is the toughest time since I was in the army”.
An increasing number of international students are returning from the US, Canada, and New Zealand, in addition to Japan. As a result, various countries are stepping up their marketing efforts toward Korean international students. In Australia, to prevent a sudden decline in the matriculation of international students, the country has held informational sessions overseas for studying abroad and other aggressive measures for international students. In New Zealand, the country has put all of its efforts to accept international students by actively promoting the country’s strengths.
The Japanese government has hammered out a “300,000 Foreign Students Plan”, aiming to accept 300,000 international students by the year 2020. However, we have not yet seen any active marketing activities in Korea and other countries. Koreans view studying in Japan as attractive, but due to the existence of the English Immersion Program in Korea, the benefit of studying in Japan is lower when compared to English speaking countries, resulting in a lower ranking of Japan as a destination to study abroad in the current economic environment. In order to increase the number of international students who wishes to study in Japan, various educational institutions would need to make an effort and actively market to international students, not only relying on initiatives by the Japanese government. Educational institutions do not have to necessarily make large efforts to attract international students. We suggest starting from smaller initiatives, putting its perspective in line with the international students.
Recently, an increasing number of Japanese universities are posting admission information on its website, which is downloadable as a PDF file. In the case of one university, it has established a system to make the application procedures more streamlined. The application can be downloaded from the website and the student can insert their information directly for submission, significantly reducing the time to obtain and submit the application. In addition, it has become easier to make revisions to the application, eliminating concerns of making mistakes when filling in the application. It is very convenient for the students and parents not proficient enough in Japanese and unsure of how to fill in the application.
The current situation is tough for us all, but Japan has several strengths, including a safer environment, an excellent educational environment, and a higher educational standard compared to other countries. If educational institutions put in their thoughts and efforts, we think the number of international students wishing to study in Japan will increase.
The number of international students studying in Japan from Thailand grew to 2,203 in 2008, up more than 30% from five years earlier, according to a survey conducted by the JASSO.
As for countries to which Thai government scholarshipstudents wanted to go, Japan came on top with 619 votes, followed by the U.S. with 600 and the U.K. with 320 in a 2006 survey conducted by the Civil Service Commission, Royal Thai Government. Compared with the 2005 survey result in which the U.S. led the others with 504 votes, followed by Japan with 338 and the U.K. with 302, Japan took over the U.S. as the most desirable nation for Thai students.
As many Thai students want to go to Japan, business that targets them is growing. For instance, private companies are holding fairs on studying in Japan and serving as agencies to handle procedures in cooperation with Japanese language schools and specialized schools. Up to five years ago, there were only two such companies that widely advertise and conduct business, but now companies that had initially assisted students who wanted to study in Europe and the U.S. have started offering services to would-be students in Japan. Some companies that used to run Japanese language schools have also joined the pack, bringing the number of companies offering Japan study services to ten. Competition is heating up among them as they try to attract more students by offering various services.
The JASSO’s Thai office provides necessary information over the phone and by email. It is also offered on its homepage, which was renewed in September last year. The layout was improved to make it easier for students to search for information. Contained on the homepage are scholarships currently available, EJU schedules, and news and notices about studying in Japan. From September when the renewal took place to December in 2008, the homepage received 4,906 hits, up 70% from 2,758 hits during the same period in 2007.
The JASSO held the Japan Education Fairs in Bangkok and Chiang Mai in cooperation with the Old Japanese Students' Association, Thailand (OJSAT) in November last year. Of the type of universities they wanted to attend, those that offer humanities and social sciences courses were the most popular with 80% of survey respondents, while those centered on natural sciences and engineering studies attracted 20% in a questionnaire survey conducted among visitors to the fairs. As for preferred subjects, linguistics, education, and, in particular, economics were popular.
A new trend is emerging among Thai students who hope to study in Japan, according to a local newspaper that covered colleges that participated in the Japan Education Fairs. Earlier, the newspaper said, students were fuzzy about what subjects they wanted to pursue; rather, many of them were vaguely interested in the names of colleges and universities they hoped to attend. In the latest fairs, in contrast, these students were more clearly focused as to what they wished to pursue. At our booths, we received more concrete questions such as “which university offers a good economics course?” from those who wished to study in Japan. My feeling is that more students than ever planned to go to Japan to study with a sense of concrete purposes.
The JASSO’s Japan Education Fairs are an important event as they attract many Japanese colleges and universities. This point clearly differentiates them from other foreign study fairs attended mostly by Japanese language institutions. In November every year, when the Fairs are held, you may have an opportunity to see your former professors again who were your instructors while you were in Japan. For former international students who have returned home, their support for the JASSO’s Fairs as interpreters and other roles with experiences in Japan will be most welcome.
The Japanese government aims to increase the number of international students in the country to 300,000 by 2020. We intend to do our part by sending more Thai students to Japan through greater cooperation with Thai colleges, high schools, and Japanese-language schools. We provide Thai students with guidebooks on studying in Japan, a list of available scholarships, and other documents relevant to studying in Japan, while participating in explanatory meetings on foreign studies held at Thai colleges and high schools. With these activities, we intend to further enhance our services on studying in Japan.
The Indonesia-Japan Expo was held under the auspices of the Nikkei and Indonesia’s most popular newspaper Compass as one of the most important bilateral events. The event was to commemorate the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties between the two countries. The JASSO Jakarta office also took part.
The expo took place at the Arena Pekan Raya Jakarta Kemayoran, Jakarta from November 1 to 9. Its central theme was “The Future We Build Together,” under which the half-a-century friendship between the two countries in the past was looked at. The opening ceremony was attended by such dignitaries as Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Jakarta governor Fauji Bowo, Chairman Ginanjar Kartasamita of a local council (former international student in Japan), and Japan-Indonesia Association Chairman Yasuo Fukuda. It was a grand event.
About 110 government offices and companies of the two countries exhibited products, cutting edge technologies, social contributions and business activities at their booths at the expo. Japanese participants included such government-related institutes as JICA, JETRO, AOTS, and JBIC. Companies included Itochu, Toyota, Panasonic, Marubeni, Teijin, and Sharp. Indonesian participants included government-run oil company Pertamina and some small/midsize companies.
Various kinds of industrial and cultural activities were introduced, including the three-dimensional high-definition display of the Shinkansen super-express train and sightseeing spots, Japanese festivals, robot contest, costume play contest, and flower arrangement. Numerous seminars and symposiums were also held. During the nine days, these activities attracted a total of 170,062 visitors of young and old.
Interest in Japan is very strong in Indonesia. Even so, a relatively small number of students, 1,791, were studying in Japan as of May 1, 2008. It is a challenge to increase this number.
At the JASSO booth, many inquiries were about scholarships, especially those given before recipients leave for Japan. This is understandable as those who plan to study in Japan naturally feel highly uncertain if they are not sure whether they can receive scholarships before they leave the country. As Japan welcomes students from all over the world, it is a wishful thinking to expect greater scholarships especially for Indonesian students. To secure scholarships, individual efforts of students and the cooperation of their government may be necessary.
There were many requests for an increase in the number and types of courses taught in English. Many young people were interested in taking animation and cartoon courses, but they looked discouraged when told that an adequate level of Japanese was required to do so. To study Japanese in Japan will be a great burden financially and time-wise. To learn the language in one’s country will be financially easier, but it will likely take more time. Right now, the path is open to only those who are willing to make such sacrifices. In my opinion, to learn Japanese is not a waste of time. English may suffice to acquire only anime production techniques, but Japanese is important to understand stories and cultural backgrounds. That’s why they see value in it. Another thing Indonesians felt was that Japan’s immigration policy was strict as visa procedures, for entering Japan and studying there are complicated.
As I took part in the expo, I came to know once more that many Indonesian people were interested in Japan and its cultures. The number of young people interested in going to Japan to study was not small. We are providing consultation service on studying in Japan at the Jakarta office and various meetings. As a former international student in Japan, I will try to make my explanations as easy to understand as possible by fully utilizing my experiences and knowledge.
Our Malaysian office is visited by an average 120 people every month who inquire about studying in Japan. We also receive questions on the phone and by e-mail. As one of the former students who once studied in Japan, I have many occasions to talk to them about their aspirations to study abroad, and this experience has made me perceptive to a number of things that I didn’t see before. As former students who studied abroad, you also have had occasions to talk about your experiences in Japan and give some advice. For those who wish to study in Japan, their motivations and purposes vary from one person to another. Their academic capabilities, financial strength, and family environments also vary. For such variations, there are no perfect answers for their inquiries. All the same, we need to be very careful in giving advice as one decision may alter the course of life for those who seek our guidance.
The following are some of the cases I recently handled. If you were in my position, how would you answer them?
Episode 1: What do you intend to study in Japan?
This is the question I always ask students who come to the office for consultation. A majority of high school graduates cannot answer this simple question properly. Most of them want to go to Japan to study simply because they like the country. They have no clear idea about what subjects they want to pursue in Japan; they just want to go there without any definite purposes.
What we are learning today will lead to our future. When you are faced with vital selections in life, can you think them over before choosing them with conviction and certainty? This question should be taken seriously by today’s young people in Malaysia. We advise those who come to us for advice to be serious about their own future plans; we advise them not to let your parents or others determine them for you. We try to tell them that it is important to improve their practical skills and do what they are supposed to do in order to achieve their goals and realize their dreams. A mere vague wish to study abroad with dreamy eyes is by no means adequate. Needless to say, they need to be flexible to keep up with situations that constantly change.
Episode 2: Which university should I go?
“Waseda University with its 120 years of history is well known worldwide, while Hitotsubashi University is outstanding in specialized subjects that I really want to pursue. Which one should I choose?” I received this e-mail inquiry from a student who plans to take a graduate study course in Japan.
This question reminds me of a former international student who studied in Japan. His dream was to attend Waseda University. He failed in the first entrance exams. Doggedly determined to go there, he took an extra year attending a Japanese language course and then successfully passed the exams in his next try. As his sole purpose was to enter Waseda University, he chose the psychology department, not his desired subject, for its door was the widest for him. After two years, he began to feel that what he had chosen was not really for him. “I’m thinking about quitting the university. I want to do business with my brother in Honk Kong,” he told me when I met this student who had been at Waseda for three years.
He chose fame over learning. Was it because of the influences by others around him? Did he think that his future would be guaranteed by attending a university of well-known name? My meeting with him brought home to me the importance of objectively knowing one’s own interests and aptitude. I understand that it is difficult for young people without much experience to make a decision that may alter the course of their life. It is therefore important for them to talk to their families and others with more experience for advice. It may look like a roundabout way toward his goal, but it is the surest way to him. I sincerely hope that he will find what he truly wants to do and make efforts to attain it.
Episode 3: Before too late
“Is this Japanese language school reliable?” I received this question on the phone from a 32-year-old woman about a Japanese language school in Sapporo, Hokkaido.
“Why do you want to go to Japan?” I asked her.
“I currently handle clerical work at a British university in Malaysia. My constant contact with student there got me thinking that I wanted to do more for myself. Japan has been on my mind ever since I traveled there last year. My memories of Sapporo are particularly strong. As I’m already 32 years old this year, I want to go to Japan to study before it is too late.”
For a single woman in her 30s, studying in Japan must be a great present for herself and also a chance for self-improvement toward the next step. Needless to say, there is no time limit for learning. Learning is a lifelong experience. Her inquiry has made me feel resolved anew that I want to keep the challenging spirit for new things no matter how old I get.
To study in Japan is not itself the goal. I’m sure that all of you are on your way to fulfilling your goals in various fields on the strength of your experiences in Japan. Our job is to root for young people who are half way through realizing their dreams.
It is said that South Korea tops the world in its passion for education. In fact, the amount of teaching there is much larger than that in many other countries. According to a newspaper article in 2005, the ratio of students going on to universities sharply climbed from 25.8% in 1975 to 82% in 2005.
The country’s department on education, science, and technology recently made the following announcement in its “National Policy Implementation Plan for 2008”: “It is necessary to shift the system of education from inflexible government-led services to autonomous and varied services, while expanding the basis of welfare programs so as to minimize the number of failures from education. By doing so, we can further raise the level of satisfaction among students and parents regarding public education and at the same time reduce the amounts of spending in private education.”
According to the “Report on the Cost of Private Education in 2007” compiled by the statistics bureau, parents spend an average 43.7 million won (about 4.61 million yen) on private education from the start of primary schools to graduation from high schools. With such a large spending straining the household budget, parents and students are demanding improvement on the undue social emphasis on academic clique. In response, the government’s education department intends to work out education policies that better reflect the people’s need.
<Education administration via the Internet>
Super-fast communication by the Internet is everywhere in South Korea. The Internet has now become an everyday tool. The government has introduced the National Education Information System designed to handle education administration on the Internet for more convenient access to information and higher efficiency of administration. The system, a modified version of the existing information system constructed for each school, connects primary and junior high schools with all the government’s agencies related to education administration including the department on education, science, and technology, electronically handling all the duties related to education administration.
By this system, the South Korean government aims at the following:
1. Improve education administration services for the public.
2. Raise the level of parental concern in education and promote their participation.
3. Improve the efficiency of education administration duties.
4. Improve the environment for teaches to concentrate on teaching.
<Studying abroad from South Korea>
According to a survey conducted by South Korea’s national institute on international education, the number of students going abroad to study (for university and higher-level education) continues to sharply increase from 192,254 in 2005 to 190,364 in 2006 and 217,959 in 2007.
By country in fiscal 2007, 59,022 South Korean students went to the U.S., 42,269 to China, 19,056 to Japan, 18,300 to the U.K. and 16,591 to Australia. As these figures indicate, more students are going to countries where English is an official language. Japan rose to third spot from fifth place in 2006 when 15,158 students went there to study.
English education is fervent in South Korea, which explains the overwhelming number of students going to countries where English is naturally spoken. To invigorate studying in Japan, it is necessary for these students to see the greater merits of studying there than in English-speaking countries. What were the good points you saw while studying in Japan?
Public relations efforts for South Korea should focus on the characteristics of each education institute, as people there tend to value the rankings of these education institutes.
South Korea is often referred to as an IT nation. The largest number of students obtained information via the Internet, according to a questionnaire survey conducted by a broadcaster. It is therefore a very good idea that each education institute produces its homepage in the Hangul as well.
<Education situation in Thailand>
Fierce competition for entrance into the institutes of learning has now come down from universities and high schools to well-known kindergartens. As for high schools, competition for entry into illustrious ones has always been high. Today, as the emphasis is on language capabilities, more students are trying to enter international schools and others that offer two-language programs. Programs that offer overseas studies at high schools, especially those in Japan, are popular. In response to their popularity, more Japanese high schools have started offering 3-year courses in addition to short-term studies to international students.
Thailand stands out among Southeast Asian countries for the presence of many Japanese firms. At universities, popular courses teach engineering and technology. In addition to English, more students than ever are taking lessons on the Japanese and Chinese that will likely give them an edge in finding jobs in the future. Further, more students are going to Japan to learn the language in preparation for the entrance exams of Japanese universities later.
Thai college students and graduate students show high interest in work & study programs that allow them to work while being students in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. They can apply for these programs before they actually depart for these countries. Although there are many who are interested in these programs, there is only one program that allows Thai students to work and study in Japan.
<Studying in Japan>
It appears that students who take consultation services on studying in Japan are increasingly interested in entering technical schools, especially those that teach interior designs, music, and car engineering. Institutes that teach the Japanese are still popular among students who plan to take the entrance exams of universities and technical schools in Japan.
Our office’s homepage is constantly updated to provide the latest information. We intend to enrich the Q&A page for those who cannot come to the office and remote-area students who wish to study in Japan.
Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) draws many questions in Thailand, such as what kind of exams EJU is and why it should be taken. In our consultation services, we make sure that students understand the purposes and contents of EJU.
<Lastly>
The Thai office provides information useful to those who plan to study in Japan. Please just stop by and make ourselves useful to you. Our happiness lies in helping you realize your dream of studying abroad, for which the office with its two staffers make constant efforts.
As a core institution to provide information on studying in Japan, the JASSO Jakarta office is actively participating in education explanatory meetings held at high schools and colleges every year. Japan is sometimes a topic of meetings at shopping malls, in which the office also makes effort to participate. As a result of our frequent participation, the name of JASSO is increasingly known among educators. Even so, many ordinary people are unfamiliar with it when meetings are held at shopping malls. We will try to make our appearance more often at such meetings.
To supply information on studying in Japan and provide counseling service are the main jobs at the Jakarta office. Many who come to the office about studying in Japan, however, are misunderstood that the office also helps them handle procedures for overseas studies.
In Indonesia, there are many agencies who handle procedures for studying in such countries as Australia, the U.S. and the U.K., but there is no such one for Japan. Because of this, there are many students who are willing to pay the cost of studying in Japan, but they often do not know how to do it. We at the Jakarta office cannot handle the necessary procedures by ourselves, but we intend to offer a more detailed counseling service.
We have received a request from Indonesia’s education ministry that overseas study information centers like the JASSO Jakarta office step up services as a bridge between Indonesian and foreign colleges. For instance, if an Indonesian university wants to establish a tie with a Japanese counterpart, our office will be asked to serve as a go-between so that necessary processes are handled smoothly. Further, our office is sometimes asked by Indonesian college officials to give advice on visiting Japanese universities. Though we cannot make arrangements for such visits, we intend to widen the range of our activities as much as possible to serve as a bridge between Indonesian and Japanese colleges.
This year falls on the 50th anniversary of Indonesia’s national foundation. We at the Jakarta office commit ourselves to greater activity in helping build closer relationships between Indonesia and Japan.
The JASSO Malaysian office is where Malaysian high school students and college students can deepen their understanding of higher education in Japan. To promote their further understanding, the office annually takes part in major local fairs on higher education, including those sponsored by high schools.
The JASSO Malaysian office is not as well known among Malaysian students as such foreign groups with similar purposes—British Council of the U.K., IDP of Australia, and MACEE of the U.S. Some visitors to the fairs often confuse our name JASSO with JUSCO. Whenever we meet such visitors, we try to briefly explain to them on the JASSO head office and the roles of the Malaysian office. After the introduction of the JASSO organization, we explain to the visitors Japan’s higher education, available study fields, and the cost of attending schools in Japan.
Why is JASSO confused with JUSCO? It is because these two words sound close.
On a close observation, one finds that British Council, IDP, MACEE and other international groups have their staff working at local school fairs wear uniforms (T-shirt, polo shirt). Printed on the uniform are the group’s logo, Website, and catchphrase (Study in UK. Study in Australia, Study in U.S.). The uniform not only symbolizes unity, but also it works to advertise the group’s activities.
If JASSO staffers who give advice on studying in Japan wear T-shirts that show the JASSO logo, Website, and “Study in Japan” catchphrase when they attend school fairs organized by JASSO and other institutes, people would not confuse JASSO and JUSCO so much. The T-shirt with such information printed on it would help improve the visitors’ understanding that JASSO is a place where information on studying in Japan is provided and counsel on it is given. In addition to these benefits, the use of uniform would increase a sense of mission among the staffers.
I n April, the JASSO “brand” will enter the fifth year of its existence since its establishment. I feel that good advertisements are essential for making the JASSO brand a widely known name in the field of higher education where the global competition is intense.
<Introduction of the Seoul Office>
<Information on study in Japan>
<Japan Education Fair> 
<Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU)>
<In closing>
< Location and Contact >
Garden Tower 702, 98-78 Unni-dong, Chongro-gu, Seoul 110-795 KOREA
TEL : +82-2-765-0141
FAX : +82-2-765-0142
E-mail : jasso@jasso.or.kr
Website : http://www.jasso.or.kr (Korean)
<
Introduction of the Bangkok Office>
<Coordination and exchange activities involving former international students who once studied in Japan and related institutions >
Introduction of follow-up activities for those who once studied in Japan
<Request to former international students>
<In closing>
The year 2007 is the 120th anniversary of the Japan-Thailand friendship, with many events planned to commemorate the occasion. The JASSO Bangkok office dedicates itself to further deepening the bilateral ties. Your support will be highly appreciated.
< Location and Contact >
10F Serm-mit Tower, 159 Asok-Montri Rd., Bangkok 10110 THAILAND
Tel: +66-2-661-7057
FAX: +66-2-661-7058
E-mail: jeicbkk@ksc.th.com
Website: http://www.jeic-bangkok.org/
<Role of the Center>
JASSO-JEIC Jakarta opened in 1995 to provide information to those who want to study in Japan. There are face-to-face consultation with visitors (about 1,000 consultation in 2006), as well as consultation via letters, telephone calls, faxes (about 2,600 cases in 2006) and e-mails (about 1,100 cases).
Not only at our office, we are often invited to lecture presentations and briefing sessions hosted by universities, high schools, private bodies, alumni, etc. to provide information. Last year, we were invited to attend 26 occasions in total. In Indonesia, even in urban areas, there are not many households which have PCs at home; therefore, Internet is not yet used to its full extent. Because there are only two of us in the office, it is difficult from physical and financial points of view to provide information all over this large archipelagic state. In order for us to effectively spread our information for free, we work hard to acquire cooperation from wide range of organizations and media such as universities, schools, magazines, newspapers, TVs, radios, etc.
<Cooperation and exchange with other related organizations>
<In closing>
< Location and Contact > 
Summitmas Tower 1, 2nd F
Jalan Jendral Sudirman Kav.61-62
Jakarta 12190 INDONESIA
TEL: +62-21-252-1912
FAX: +62-21-252-1913
E-mail: info@jasso.or.id
Web site: http://www.jasso.or.id/
*Our office is on 2nd floor of Summitmas Tower 1 on Jenderal Sudirman Street in Jakarta. There are also Japan Foundation offices on 2nd and 3rd floors.
< Office Roles >
< Status of Collaboration and Exchange Activities with Japan Alumni >
< Event Information and Announcement >
< Location and Contact >
Suite 1101, Menara Amcorp, AMCORP Trade Centre, No.18,
Jalan Persiaran Barat,
46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, MALAYSIA
TEL: +60-3-7957-0304
FAX: +60-3-7957-1631
E-mail: info@studyinjapan.org.my
Web site: http://www.studyinjapan.org.my/
* The Center is located in Menara Amcorp with a yellow triangular roof, adjacent to the AMCORP Trade Center in "Petaling Jaya", a suburb of Kuala Lumpur.