KARACHI: Owing to various factors, the government and universities of Japan are keen to attract qualified Pakistani students to pursue higher education in their country, a senior Japanese professor said during his visit to Hamdard University on Thursday.
In his detailed talk on the subject, Prof Dr Susumu Nijema of Toyo University said that Japan’s population is declining rapidly due to a significant gap between the annual birth and death rates. “We need young people in almost every sector because our total population is declining and the average age is rising,” he said.
He noted that university education in Japan is “very cost-effective” compared to that in Canadian, American, and British universities. Students with the required qualifications can easily obtain student visas for Japan.
Foreign students can avail themselves of more than 10,000 scholarships, including fully funded ones, he added. In addition, they are allowed to work part-time for up to 28 hours per week. The minimum wage is about $7 per hour, enabling students to maintain a decent standard of living.
He further stated that the number of international graduates securing employment in Japan is also increasing. In 2014, around 12,000 foreign graduates successfully found jobs, but this number rose to over 33,000 in 2020. One key reason, he said, is that 90 per cent of graduates obtain work permits.
Prof Nijema explained that Japan’s rapidly declining population has led to personnel shortages across almost all sectors. Another factor in favour of foreigners pursuing education in Japan is the relatively low cost of living, which is approximately Rs81,000 per month (in Pakistani currency).
Responding to a question, he advised young people interested in studying in Japan to contact the office of the University of Tokyo in New Delhi via email. Another point of contact is the official website of the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO).
“Even if a student does not receive a full scholarship, they may still benefit from reduced fees. They can also work part-time, and since tuition fees are not excessively high, they can complete their education without much difficulty,” he added.
In response to another question, the professor of cultural anthropology said that he had conducted research on the Ismaili community in Gilgit and Chitral during the 1980s. In the 1990s, he studied Islamic NGOs such as the Edhi Foundation and the Hamdard Foundation.
Currently, he is researching Pakistanis living in Japan, many of whom are engaged in commendable philanthropic work. He expressed particular admiration for Muslims who visited the Fukushima area following the devastation caused by a nuclear accident triggered by a tsunami.
Vice Chancellor of Hamdard University, Prof Dr Imran Amin, presented the vote of thanks. Later, Chancellor of Hamdard University, Madam Sadia Rashid (Hilal-e-Imtiaz), presented a souvenir to the visiting Japanese professor.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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