The number of foreign students studying in Japan declined for the second year in a row in 1997 to about 51,000, down 3.5 percent from the previous year, according to an Education Ministry survey released Wednesday.
A total of 23,184 foreign students studied at Japanese universities last year and the number also decreased slightly -- by 85 to 1,306 -- at two-year colleges. Graduate schools, however, received more foreign students, up 77 to 19,856.
The survey was conducted at universities, graduate schools, two-year colleges, technical colleges and special training colleges. At technical colleges, foreign students can get a three-year course in specialized training.
The number of foreign students at special training colleges fell by 1,499 to 6,139, apparently reflecting the establishment of similar educational facilities abroad, ministry officials said.
They also pointed out that the slowdown in the nation's economy caused fewer foreign students to study in Japan. Foreigners see less advantage in the high cost of studying here when getting a job at a Japanese company seems increasingly difficult, the officials said.
The government has been aiming to have 100,000 foreigners studying at institutions of higher education in Japan by 2000. Nevertheless, the 1997 figure was about 20,000 less than the ministry's original estimate for the year, which was 70,000.
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