About Tobitate!
(Leap for Tomorrow)
Study Abroad Initiative

Tobitate! Study Abroad initiative 2022
~Achievements and Future Vision~

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As globalization accelerates, Japanese companies are endeavoring evermore to strengthen their presence overseas. However, with the relatively low number of Japanese university students studying abroad, roughly 70 percent of Japanese companies with operations outside of Japan say they found it difficult to secure and develop globally minded talent. In response, as part of the Japan Revitalization Strategy decided by the Cabinet in 2013, the Japanese government aimed to double the number of Japanese students studying abroad by the year 2020.

※Although the number of such students had increased gradually, since 2020, the number of Japanese students studying abroad has decreased significantly due to the spread of covid19.

To help achieve its objective, the government launched in October 2013 Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Study Abroad Initiative, a public-private effort for the future of Japan. This initiative—which hopes to make Japan a nation in which all ambitious youths can go global—offers various opportunities for students to embrace the chance to study abroad. A standout among these opportunities is the Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Young Ambassador Program. This program provides scholarships and other aid with the help of private-sector contributions. The goal was to help about 10,000 young “ambassadors” leap for tomorrow by 2020.

Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Study Abroad Initiative promotes Japanese students study overseas, not only as a government initiative, but as a public-private effort by society as a whole.

Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Study Abroad Initiative is led by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) that aims to help all young Japanese eager and capable take the first step toward studying abroad. At its core is a belief that all of society working together can achieve greater results. As such, support and donations from individuals and private companies active in various fields play a key role in forming a globalized human-resources development community for fostering young people who have a global outlook who can succeed in tomorrow’s world.

About the Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Young Ambassador Program

The Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Young Ambassador Program is a Japanese public-private partnership aimed at helping Japanese students study abroad. It was launched in 2014.

The program had selected about 9,500high school and university students from 2014-2022. The desired result is for the students and supporting companies to form a globalized human resources development community and for the students to develop into globally minded professionals needed by society, especially industry, and who can succeed in a global world.

Furthermore, the program expects that such students will return to Japan and help increase the momentum in Japan overall for studying abroad by relaying to others the merits of their overseas experiences.

On August 5, 2022, it was decided that Tobitate will continue the Next Tobitate Initiative from 2023 to 2027 as the next stage.

* The Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Young Ambassador Program is made possible by contributions from supporting companies.

Key Features of Program
  1. Students design a flexible study-abroad program based on their own ideas
  2. Plans must include practical activities/experiences such as internship, volunteering, and field work (non-school activities)
  3. Unique selection criteria:Main criteria for selection is 1. Curiosity 2. Passion 3. Originality(Not under consideration of GPA, language level)
  4. Generous support compared with Japanese government scholarship
  • Student Exchange Support Program
    (Japanese government scholarship)
  • Tobitate Young Ambassador Program
  • Living Expenses:60,000 – 100,000 yen per month
    Transportation Fees:160,000 yen
  • Living Expenses:120,000 – 160,000 yen per month
    Transportation Fees:150,000 – 250,000 yen
  • ※Student who have financial difficulty can get the fees.
    Tuition: None
  • Tuition: 300,000 yen (less than 1 year) or
    600,000 yen (more than 1 year)
Expected Roles of TOBITATE Students
  • During study abroad

    AmbassadorAs Japan Ambassador, students must include activities to introduce Japanese cultures to local

  • During study abroad

    EvangelistStudents will share their experiences to inspire other students to establish the culture of study abroad in Japan

  • In the future

    Global LeaderStudents aim to become global leaders in the future