TOKYO - The year 2026 is seen as a turning point when a decline in the number of university-bound students will begin to affect university management across Japan.
As institutions search for ways to survive, Tsujimoto, a social affairs reporter covering the education ministry, looked into an unconventional strategy adopted by one university that succeeded in increasing enrollment.
“We have reached the painful decision that we have no choice but to halt student recruitment,” Kyoto Kacho University said last year. Miyagi Gakuin Women’s University also warned last year that “private universities are in an extremely difficult situation.”
Financial distress among universities is spreading nationwide, and this year marks what has come to be known as the “2026 university problem,” a critical juncture for higher education. Although the population of 18-year-olds has continued to decline due to Japan’s falling birthrate, the number of students entering university kept rising as enrollment rates increased. According to projections by the education ministry, however, 2026 will be the year when the number of university entrants finally begins to fall, with management impacts expected to emerge.
University journalist Reiji Ishiwata said many institutions will struggle increasingly to attract students, adding that small universities with fewer than 4,000 students face the greatest risk. Over the next decade, he said, it would not be surprising if 50 to 100 small universities decide to suspend admissions.
Amid this backdrop, one university managed to boost student numbers through what its president described as a “drastic measure.” Kyoai Gakuen University in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, saw enrollment fall to around 65 percent of capacity in 2001. It later reversed the trend, recording its highest-ever intake this academic year.
Akio Omori, president of Kyoai Gakuen University, said the school once offered a full tuition waiver for four years to students who held Eiken Grade 2 certification, hoping to attract strong candidates. The strategy, which Omori called a “shot in the arm,” exempted qualifying students from tuition for four years, and after a decade of implementation, enrollment began to recover.
After drawing students through the English certification scholarship, the university shifted its focus toward becoming a “community-based university.” In one class observed, students worked with local companies to develop new products aimed at regional revitalization. One student suggested Gunma’s iconic daruma dolls, while another proposed turning them into key chains to appeal to younger consumers.
As ties with the community deepened, the university’s reputation among local businesses and high schools improved, creating a virtuous cycle that led to rising enrollment. A third-year student said involvement in regional activities at the university strengthened their desire to continue living in Gunma.
Omori said universities are often expected to attract students from across the country, but Kyoai Gakuen aims to be a university chosen by local youth, earning trust as an institution the region cannot do without.
As universities confront the 2026 problem in their fight for survival, reporters note that institutions are being asked not simply to focus on staying open, but to provide environments where students can genuinely enjoy learning.
Source: TBS
