Overview

• MEXT will raise the exceedance cap from 105% to 110% for faculties enrolling at least 300 students.
• On July 25, the ministry confirmed the framework and began vetting university applications based on their international student support systems.
• Under current rules, institutions that exceed quotas without MEXT certification face government subsidy cuts or must repay equivalent tuition fees.
• At top Japanese research universities, undergraduates comprise only about 3% international students compared with 25–30% at the graduate level and roughly 20–24% at leading overseas institutions.
• The reform aligns with a government goal to host 400,000 international students by 2033 and strengthen Japan’s competitiveness and research quality.