A small, private university whose main field of study has yet to be recognized by the academic world is set to open in April in a city in Yamagata Prefecture, some 500 km from the academic center of Tokyo.
Tohoku University of Community Service and Science is dedicated to studying the social contributions of nonprofit organizations and business enterprises.
The community of Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture, where the university is located, is pinning high hopes on the institution as a primer for its vitalization.
But education sources say the university will find it difficult to secure enough students in the future given the declining birthrate in Japan. It successfully enrolled 240 students in its initial year, its full quota for freshmen.