Press Conferences

Mr. Norio Maruyama, Foreign Press Secretary: Today, December 6, the Government of Japan deposits its instrument of accession to the Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education with the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris.

This convention sets forth principles, standards, as well as rights and obligations for states parties to mutually approve and assess qualifications in higher education, and establishes provisions regarding the sharing of information about higher education institutions.

By concluding this convention, Japan will contribute to attracting foreign students to Japan and promoting overseas study by Japanese students and continue to actively work towards the internationalization of higher education.

Foreign Press Secretary Maruyama: Japan will host many students, adults, and others from a variety of countries from December 6 to 13 under JENESYS2017, the Japan's Friendship Ties Program, and its Kakehashi Project and MIRAI Program.

Visitors include a total of 300 people for JENESYS2017, namely, university students from six Pacific Island countries, Indonesia, university students and adults from Cambodia, high school students from Thailand, university students and adults from Myanmar, as well as high school students from China, 24 Canadian people of Asian descent and university students for the Kakehashi Project, and 82 undergraduate and graduate school students from 18 European countries for the MIRAI Program. Each group will visit Hokkaido, Miyagi, Ibaraki, Tokyo, Aichi, Kyoto, Hyogo, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and Kagoshima Prefectures and tour related facilities and other sites and interact with related parties and local people, based on exchange themes such as Japanese language and culture, ocean, and peace.

Additionally, from December 9, eight Federal parliamentarians from Brazil will arrive under the Juntos!! Initiative. Under JENESYS2017, 101 high school students from Hong Kong and Macau will visit Japan from December 10, and 26 university students from Singapore and 15 high school, undergraduate, and graduate school students, and adults from Brunei from December 12. Each group will visit Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Aichi, Kyoto, Nara, and Hiroshima Prefectures and tour related facilities, exchange views with related parties and interact with Japanese students and others, based on exchange themes such as Japanese culture, economy, and science and technology.

We hope that participants to deepen multi-faceted understanding of Japan and actively promote Japan’s appeals through the program.