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 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.
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.
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