TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Embassy of Japan in Jakarta noted a consistent annual increase in the number of Indonesian students pursuing education in Japan. According to embassy records, 5,379 Indonesian students were studying in Japan in 2024, ranging from diploma (D2) to doctoral (S3) programs.
This figure represents a rise from previous years, with 4,892 Indonesian students in Japan in 2023 and 4,709 in 2022.
Similarly, the number of Indonesian students receiving the prestigious Monbukagakusho, or MEXT, scholarships has also shown a gradual annual increase. In 2024, 1,168 students were awarded MEXT scholarships, up from 1,093 in 2023 and 1,024 in 2022.
Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia, Masaki Yasushi, emphasized that Japan offers a diverse range of excellent academic programs for Indonesian students. Historically, he observed, Indonesian students have predominantly gravitated towards majors in science, technology, and literature when pursuing their studies in Japan.
"Japanese universities require more students to thrive. So, I believe we share mutual interests in increasing the number of students from Indonesia," Yasushi stated during a press conference at the Japanese Embassy office in Jakarta on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
Yasushi is actively promoting educational cooperation between Indonesia and Japan, aiming to facilitate more Indonesian students' studies in Japan while also hoping to see more Japanese students choose Indonesia for their education.
"Many Indonesians study in Japan because of the assistance system from the Japanese government and other reasons," he explained.
Yasushi observed a notable difference in perspective between older and younger generations of Indonesians regarding studying in Japan. In the past, many Indonesian parents took pride in their children studying in Japan, valuing the valuable experience gained.
Conversely, he perceives that the younger generation of Indonesians today exhibit less interest in studying in Japan, often preferring destinations such as Europe, the United States, South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Singapore.
"I think perhaps those countries are currently more attractive to you. But, I believe we can still make greater efforts to draw more Indonesian students to Japanese universities," he commented.
Yasushi explained that during his travels across Indonesia, he encountered many students who expressed a desire to pursue further studies in Japan but were unsure how to navigate the process.
"I think we can help encourage them to study at Japanese universities because the cost is not too expensive," he said, emphasizing that the cost of living in Japan is more affordable compared to Europe or the United States.
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