PUBLICATIONS & REPORTS

Contents Introduction

In recent years, both the Japanese central and local governments have made significant efforts to attract international students and retain them to work in Japan. However, the policies have not been as effective as anticipated, primarily due to the lack of understanding of international graduates’ decision-making process in choosing where to work. This research report for 2022 provides a literature review and an overview of the present situation of international graduates working in Japan. Our findings indicate that the majority of international graduates retained in Japan come from Asia, particularly from China, Vietnam, Nepal, and Korea. These graduates tend to concentrate in Tokyo and Osaka Metropolitan Areas, but the numbers have been decreasing following the outbreak of COVID-19. On the other hand, regions outside the four main metropolitan areas have seen an increase in both the number and share of international graduates after the pandemic. In the research report for 2023, I will conduct empirical studies on the factors that influence their choice of workplace.