The education ministry finally seems to be waking up. Whether due to the Olympic bid or the looming threat from China, for the first time in two decades Japan appears to be moving to correct its inward-looking education policies.

Will 2014 be the year we start to see a genuinely forward-thinking, globalized outlook? The school system has, for the most part, produced superlative academic results among Japanese students compared to their counterparts overseas. However, the rapidly changing global economy, regional tensions and shrinking population suggest huge challenges await the country's youth on their emergence into the job market in the coming years.

In June, MEXT (the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) released the Second Basic Plan for the Promotion of Education, which set forth a significant policy shift underlined by progressive goals. These include raising the global status of research universities, improving English competency among teachers and students, a focus on teaching morals, increasing the flow of international students both in and out of Japan, reforming the college entrance exam and more of an emphasis on individual student instruction.