Japan not to allow student increase at Tokyo universities

August 14, 2017

TOKYO- Japan's education ministry will not allow in principle an increase of the enrollment limits at private universities in Tokyo's densely populated 23 wards, beginning in the school year from April 2018, according to informed sources.

The ministry will shortly present the regulation, aimed at rectifying the concentration of young people in the Japanese capital, in a draft revision to a ministry notice regarding the establishment of universities and invite comments from the public.

According to the sources familiar with the ministry's thinking, the draft revision will state clearly that no increase of the private university enrollment capacities will be permitted in the 23 wards.

Universities that have already made formal decisions to raise the limits and started preparations, including land purchases, will be regarded as an exception, the sources said.

If a university hopes to set up a new faculty, it is expected to be required to lower the enrollment limits of existing faculties in accordance with the number of students in the new faculty, to keep the total number of students at the school unchanged.

A panel of experts appointed by the government came up with an interim report in May saying that no increase of the enrollment quotas should be allowed for private universities in the 23 wards.

A package of basic policies for regional revitalization adopted by the cabinet the following month also included a policy of not perming an expansion of enrollment capacities for those universities. Jiji Press