In my opinion the reason why the not-so-prestigious private universities in Japan are said to be having a hard time attracting Japanese students is that many of the lecturers have poor academic knowledge and inferior research ability. As they lack the passion for teaching the importance of exploring new knowledge in their fields, they are contributing to the degradation of university academic standards. Many of these instructors could not even get hired if not for their connections with the institutions' management boards.
In the United States, those engaged in higher academic education are required to write an academic paper at regular intervals. We hear the phrase "publish or perish."
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.