"JSPS External Review Report" was issued.(PDF File 1.22MB)

Century”, (1984), the Monbusho established as a goal the intake of 100,000foreign students in the early 21 st century. However, total foreign studentnumbers in FY2000 were around 64,000, well under the target. Numbersare also low compared to around 515,000 foreign students in the US, around219,000 in the UK, and around 166,000 in Germany and France. The 1.8percent ratio of foreign students to the total number of students in highereducation also undercuts other countries.Japan’s current policy on foreign students is delineated in “Development ofan International Intellectual Contribution and New Foreign Student Policy:Post-2000 Foreign Student Policy”, a document created in March 1999 bythe Round Table on Foreign Student Policy. This report cites foreign studentprograms as an international intellectual contribution to world stability anddevelopment, as well as being valuable for Japan in terms of (1) promotingmutual understanding between Japan and other countries andstrengthening friendly relations; (2) strengthening Japan’s intellectualinfluence in the international community; and (3) creating a moreinternational socioeconomic structure for Japan. The report does notmention the place of foreign students as human resources for Japan’s futureR&D.According to the Basic Plan too, measures are to be taken to allowoutstanding young researchers to become actively involved in researchactivities in Japan, to which end, for example, an environment, in whichexcellent foreign researchers are able to engage in R&D activitiescompetitively, should be provided in Japan. One example is the publicinstitutes could employ and treat young foreign researchers oncorresponding to their ability and achievement by the fellowship scheme,and competitive research funds should be arranged to enable foreignresearchers working in Japan to apply in English.There are a number of specific programs for assisting young foreignresearchers, including the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for ForeignResearchers which are described later in this chapter. Most fellows whohave come to Japan through the JSPS program return to their countries orcontinue their research in a third country, although some subsequently take159