Universities conducting classes in English, intellectual debates between foreign and Japanese students where new ideas are created — these are just some of the things the central government envisions for the nation's higher education in order to become a magnet for talented researchers and students alike.

It also makes sense from a business standpoint and would help universities, which are suffering from a decline in their student bodies due to depopulation.

The education ministry has conducted various policy attempts to find such a solution, including increasing the number of classes taught in English and helping graduates secure jobs, but Japan has yet to come up with a game-changer to attract more foreign students.