More Japanese universities and graduate schools are introducing programs taught in English to attract foreign students and faculty while supporting young Japanese in global careers. However, some experts worry that Japanese students may struggle to grasp content fully, potentially lowering educational quality.
Tokyo Metropolitan University began offering English-taught courses in major subjects at its Faculty of Science in the 2015 academic year, allowing students to earn all graduation credits through these classes. Last month, a class on writing scientific papers took place at the university's Minami-Osawa Campus in Hachioji, Tokyo, with three Japanese students and two international students participating in English. A 23-year-old student aspiring to become a researcher said, “To write papers in English, I thought it would be better to study specialized subjects in English. At first, it was difficult to follow the class, but now I can listen to and think in English.”
The university plans to expand similar programs to other faculties starting in the 2027 academic year. Vice President Masayoshi Noguchi stated, “This is an expression of our intention to promote the internationalization of our university as a whole. We want to vigorously hire foreign educators and develop the necessary systems.”
Tohoku University will launch “Gateway College” in the 2027 academic year, conducting all classes in English in principle. Students will take interdisciplinary courses across departments in their first and second years, then specialize from the third year, with overseas experience required. Waseda University’s Faculty of Political Science and Economics will make English-taught courses compulsory for all students starting in 2027. Sophia University will establish a tentatively named “Department of Digital Green Technology” in its Faculty of Science and Technology in 2027, with seminars, reports, and exams in English. Dean Tomoharu Shibuya said, “This will help appeal to international students.”
These initiatives stem from Japan's declining birthrate. The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry estimates that the number of university entrants, currently around 600,000, will drop to 460,000 by 2040. Hiroshi Kobayashi, director of Recruit Shingaku Soken, noted, “The number of students entering universities in Japan is approaching a plateau, but if we look at the whole world, higher education is a growth field. By offering classes taught in English, universities are making it easier to secure talented international students, thus aiming to survive in international competition.”
The University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Engineering trialed English classes this academic year, accounting for 70% of the curriculum. Starting next year, nearly all classes will be in English, except fields like Japanese architecture. Dean Yasuhiro Kato explained, “To apply the knowledge gained in graduate school to society, English proficiency is essential.” However, a 23-year-old student in the same school said, “I feel my listening skills have been improving, so I basically support it,” but added, “Classes require so much effort just to follow them in English that I worry about my ability to understand the advanced specialized content.” Kato responded, “We can make such adjustments as providing Japanese translations for technical terms in English used in class. We want to prepare so students can learn without anxiety.”
In global academia, English serves as the de facto common language, with most cutting-edge research published in English papers. For universities seeking world-class research, shifting to English instruction is a natural progression.