留学生40万人目標と日本語教育機関認定法：バングラデシュの対応

For years Japan pursued a ‘300,000 international students’ target and reached it in 2019. After COVID, in April 2023, the Council for the Creation of Future Education set a new one: 400,000 international students in Japan by 2033, and 500,000 Japanese students abroad. JASSO's survey counted 336,708 international students in Japan on 1 May 2024 — the highest ever.

The new accreditation law

In the same period Japan has become strict about language-school quality. Under the Act on the Accreditation of Japanese Language Education Institutions (日本語教育機関認定法), in force since 1 April 2024, only institutions accredited by the Minister of Education (認定日本語教育機関) may run ‘留学’ (study-abroad) courses; existing schools have a five-year transition, so a school not accredited by 2029 cannot enrol students on student visas. A national licence for registered Japanese-language teachers (登録日本語教員) was introduced alongside.

Two sides of the ledger for Bangladesh

• 機会：40万人達成のため日本の学校は新たな送出国を求めている。
• リスク：非認定校では2029年以降に学生が立ち往生しかねず、準備不足の学生を送ればCOE不交付率が上がる。