Japan’s Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry is set to launch a new program to fund the medical education of select Asian students. This initiative, the first of its kind, aims to strengthen ties with neighboring countries while promoting Japanese medical equipment and pharmaceuticals across Asia.
The program, expected to begin in fiscal year 2026, will cover tuition and living expenses for approximately 20 students on a trial basis. Applicants will be recruited through the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, headquartered in Indonesia.
Selected students will receive Japanese language training in their home countries before enrolling in six-year medical programs at Japanese universities to earn a doctor’s license.
The ministry has allocated ¥290 million in its supplementary fiscal year 2024 budget to fund the initiative. Specific details, including eligible countries and participating universities, are still under discussion.
The program primarily targets students, such as those from Vietnam, who will return home and practice medicine under certain criteria. Currently, international medical students represent less than 1% of Japan’s total medical school enrollment.
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