Japanese students increasingly choose Asia over the West for study abroad

The weak yen and rising inflation are pushing Japanese students away from traditional destinations like the US and UK towards more affordable options in Asia. Applications to National Taiwan University jumped 60% in 2025, while enrolments in South Korea and Malaysia continue to climb.

Cost advantages, English-language programmes and geographic proximity are reshaping mobility patterns, with Germany, Hungary and Malta also emerging as lower-cost alternatives in Europe. Japan’s government aims to boost the total number of students abroad to 500,000 by 2033, up from 70,253 in 2024.

Read the full article here to understand how shifting student flows could reshape higher education demand in Asia and Europe