- Japan launches a pilot programme offering funding to Tokyo-area universities to send students to regional universities and companies, aiming to address talent shortages and encourage greater engagement with shrinking communities.
Japan launches a pilot programme to encourage university students from the Tokyo metropolitan area to study at universities and companies in regions facing population decline. The initiative, described as “domestic study abroad,” aims to expose students to regional communities while helping address local talent shortages.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) introduces the programme on a trial basis, with five universities in Tokyo and neighbouring Chiba Prefecture participating. Each participating institution is eligible to receive up to 25 million yen annually for three years to cover programme-related costs.
The participating institutions are Chuo University, Rikkyo University, the University of Electro-Communications, Shiraume Gakuen University and Chiba University. Under the programme, students are expected to undertake study or practical activities at regional universities and companies, providing them with experience outside the capital region.
Chuo University plans to send students studying agriculture, tourism and preventive medicine to areas including Niseko in Hokkaido, the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture and the Goto Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture. Rikkyo University is preparing programmes in collaboration with Kyoai Gakuen Maebashi International University in Gunma Prefecture and Rakuno Gakuen University in Hokkaido.
The initiative also seeks to encourage interaction between students from Tokyo and those studying at regional institutions. Through shared academic and practical experiences, participating students can exchange knowledge and perspectives while gaining a better understanding of local industries and communities.
The programme comes amid growing concerns over the concentration of young people in Tokyo and the continuing population decline across regional Japan. Young people who move from local areas to Tokyo for university frequently remain in the capital after graduation, contributing to shortages of workers in regional communities.
Japan’s population decline is reflected in recent demographic data. Preliminary results from the 2025 national census show that the country’s population stands at approximately 123.05 million, a decline of 3.097 million, or 2.5 per cent, from 2020. The decline is the largest recorded since the census begins in 1920.
During 2020–2025, 477 municipalities record population declines of more than 10 per cent, compared with 247 municipalities during 2015–2020. The government’s programme therefore forms part of broader efforts to strengthen regional human resources and encourage young people to engage with areas experiencing demographic challenges.
Japan has also pursued wider policies to strengthen regional universities and industries and address the concentration of young people and economic activity in Tokyo. MEXT documents identify regional universities as important contributors to local revitalisation, particularly through education, employment and industry development.
