We held an online symposium and have published the report.
We look forward to your participation in the next symposium as well.

On-line Study In Japan Symposium

Mar 10 (Mon) 2025
Japan Student Services Organization

"Exit Strategies for Highly Skilled Indian ＆South Asian Professionals After Studying in Japan Universities Part 2"

Source: National Institute of Science and Technology Policy, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, "Science and Technology Indicators 2022"

In April 2023, India became the world's most populous country, and New Delhi was the host city of the G20 summit in September 2023. In addition, India has surpassed Japan to rank 9th in the world in terms of the number of high-quality papers (number of papers adjusted to the top 1%), and has made leaps in various fields, such as producing high-ranking executives at global IT companies such as Google. In order for Japan to accept international students from India, which is experiencing such rapid growth, it is necessary to provide an "exit strategy" for international students, that is, a path to employment in Japan after graduating from university or graduate school.

Although more than one million new graduates from Indian science and engineering universities are enrolled every year, few graduates want to join Japanese companies.This is thought to be one of the reasons why Indian students who wish to study abroad have a lower priority for Japan as a study abroad destination.

This symposium considered what efforts and collaborations universities and companies should pursue to further acquire highly skilled Indian and South West Asian talent. Specifically, we invited professors and graduate student, and alumni of Indian students who had found employment in Japan to give lectures and hold discussions.

Contents;

Date: Monday, March 10, 2025
Time: 17:30 - 19:30 JST / 14:00 - 16:00 IST
Platform: Zoom Webinar
Language: English
Fee: Free
Registration: Not required
Organizer: "Study in Japan from India and South West Asia," JASSO
Keynote Speakers:
Dr.Yuriko Sato (JASSO Researcher)
Mr.Pranik Yogendra (Principal, Ibaraki Prefectural Tsuchiura Daiichi High School)
Panel discussion Facilitator:
Asst.Prof. Yutaro Oki (Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Kyushu University)
Panelers:
Mr.Harsh Gupta Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering The University of Tokyo
Dr (Ms). Harsha Prakash, Asst. Prof., Kyusyu University
Dr. Suresh Rao, R&D Scientist at Mitsubishi Chemicals in Yokohama.
Moderator: Motoatsu Ando (JASSO)

Part I

• Opening Greetings (2:05 - 2:10 pm)
  Mr. Keiji Maruyama
• Keynote Speech (2:10 - 2:50 pm)
  Dr.Yuriko Sato
  Mr. Pranik Yogendra

Part II

• Panellist self introduction (2:50 - 3:02 pm)
  Dr.Yutaro Oki, Facilitator
  Mr.Harsh Gupta
  Dr (Ms). Harsha Prakash
  Dr. Suresh Rao
• Panel Discussion (3:02 - 3:50)
• Rap Up (3:50 - 4:00 pm)

Part I (2:00 - 2:50pm IST)

1, Opening Greetings (2:05 - 2:10)

Mr. Takafumi Ota, Deputy Executive Director, Student Exchange Department, JASSO

“Many people from India have a positive image of Japan, but they may hesitate to study here. Learning Japanese can be difficult, but more Japanese universities now offer courses in English. Another concern is finding a job in Japan after studying. Today's theme is about finding jobs in Japan after studying abroad. JASSO promis it would be a meaningful symposium today”.

2, Keynote speeches (2:10 - 2:50)

As for the topic, Dr.Yuriko Sato introduced the Japanese government's international student policy, especially the programs to promote international students' employment in Japan and outlined the characteristics of Indian international students, including their career choices.

Dr. Yuriko Sato is a researcher at the Japan Student Services Organization, specializing in international student policy and mobility. She had worked for the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) as an associate professor from 2000 to 2023.
She has been a committee member of the Program for Enhancing Employment of International Students, organized by the MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) since 2017.
She was awarded the Best Paper Prize of the Japan Association of International Student Education and the Best Paper Prize & the Best Presentation Prize at the 1st Asia Future Conference. She also received the Best Teacher Award of Tokyo Tech in 2007 and 2013.
The key points of the lecture were as follows:
“Japanese companies are interested in hiring Indian students. Indian students typically enroll in English-taught graduate programs and major in STEM fields. 50% of Indian graduates find employment in Japan, while 10% find jobs in other countries. The employment rate in Japan increases to 58% if those who choose further study in Japan are excluded.To improve employment prospects in Japan, it is advisable for students to start learning Japanese early. Free online Japanese language courses are available through platforms like the Japan Foundation and Japan Virtual Campus (JV-Campus), such as 'JF Japanese e-Learning' and 'Nihongo Hiroba - JV-Campus'. She also mentioned that Japan’s labor market is open, and that Japanese language proficiency can be a significant advantage for success. She encouraged students to start studying Japanese now, as online courses are available even before they come to Japan."

Principal Puranik Yogendra gave a lecture on his own experiences with job hunting. He also discussed the efforts being made at Tsuchiura Daiichi Junior and Senior High School to attract talented Indian students, industry-government-academia collaboration in employment and settling in the local area, and employment opportunities for Indians in Japan."

Born in 1977 in Maharashtra, India, Mr. Yogi graduated from Pune University with degrees in Mathematics and Economics, and a Master's in International and Labor Economics, while also studying Japanese and IT. He first came to Japan in 1997 as a government-sponsored student and returned in 2001 as an IT engineer, acquiring Japanese citizenship in 2012. He has worked as a Research Officer at Mizuho Bank and General Manager at Rakuten Bank. From 2019 to 2021, he served on the Edogawa City Council in Tokyo. He became Vice Principal of Ibaraki Prefectural Tsuchiura Daiichi High School in April 2022 and Principal in April 2023. Additionally, he is the President of the All Japan Indian Association and owns a restaurant and cultural center in Tokyo, while also giving lectures at various institutions.

“Yogi-sensei talked about his struggles and successes in Japan. In his remarks, he clearly explained the following points: The world is shrinking, Be an expert in subject matter, Acquire multiple languages, Develop oneself, Enhance one's soft skills, and Perform prior research.
He stressed the point that if he did not have proficiency in the Japanese language, he would not have achieved his current accomplishments. He also said even today's panelists will understand the crucial importance of having Japanese language proficiency for any success in Japan. Look higher and go wider!”

Part II (2:50 - 4:00 pm IST)

1, Panellist Self Introduction

Associate professor, OKI Yutaroh, pursued his studies at the Faculty of Law at Kyushu University, where he spent a significant period in Egypt, gaining a transformative educatioand multicultural experience in Cairo, Egypt.
His academic focus is on "International Law" and "History of International Law in non-European countries."
He teaches international law in Kyushu university and major universities across Japan.
Beyond his academic roles, since 2020, he has served as the manager of the J-MENA Project, a sister project of this initiative for India, implementing various efforts to promote collaboration in education and research between the Middle East and North Africa region and Japan, as well as to encourage studying in Japan.

Professor Oki, as a facilitator, guided the three panelists in a detailed discussion on the following points: their previous experiences working in Japanese companies and their perspectives on future job hunting. He skillfully steered the entire conversation and the panelists' comments, transforming it into an honest and in-depth dialogue.

Having spent nearly 4.5 years in Japan and previously worked for a Japanese company in India, he possesses a deep understanding of Japanese culture, cuisine, and workplace dynamics. He is eager to assist prospective students by answering their questions and guiding them on their journey to find employment in Japan.
2022 - Present
Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
2019 - 2022
Senior Engineer
Toshiba-Denso-Suzuki Li-Ion Battery Gujarat Pvt. Ltd. (TDSG), Gujarat, India
2017 - 2019
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan

“He studied Japanese culture and society during his undergraduate studies. He came to Japan for his master's program and grew to love Japanese society and its people. After joining a Japanese company in India, he wanted to further his studies and pursued a master's degree. Later, he also wanted to continue his studies in a doctoral program.
He did a two-week internship at Denso and then joined their India branch. This process involved preparing documents and going through interviews. In the academic world, the process involves finding a supervisor, writing letters, taking tests, and undergoing interviews.
Currently, He aims to become a researcher in the academic world. When seeking employment in Japanese companies, resources like MyNavi, RecNavi, MichelPage, CareerCross, LinkedIn and Indeed can be helpful. MyNavi also provides information about internships. Additionally, JETRO and JASSO websites are useful.
Regarding Japanese language proficiency, for a PhD program, being proficient in English alone is sufficient. However, in the job market, being able to speak Japanese is desirable for making a greater impact. Studying Japanese is very important, but it is also possible to study it while studying abroad in Japan.”

Harsha Prakash is an Assistant Professor at Kyushu University, affiliated with both the Faculty of Agriculture and the Institute of Asian and Oceanian Studies (Q-AOS). She is currently working in the Animal Bioscience Laboratory, Kyushu University. She joined Kyushu University in 2015 as a MEXT scholar to pursue her Ph.D. in the Laboratory of Marine Biochemistry. Following roles as a technical staff member and postdoctoral researcher, she was appointed Assistant Professor in November 2024. Her expertise lies in cell culture, marine immunology and monoclonal antibody production. Her current research focuses on identifying seed cells for artificial meat production using chicken gizzard. She has contributed to multiple JSPS- and JST-funded projects and is actively involved in educational activities at Kyushu University. Additionally, she established the Indian Alumni of Kyushu University (IAQ) and currently serves as its president.

“The reasons and motivation for coming to Japan include the fact that the major at Kyushu University matched her career field, the lab at the graduate school was top-notch in her field, and the organized and orderly nature of daily life and Japanese language acquisition fit well with her culturally. She was able to secure her current research position by searching on an academic job portal. Of course, the network with professors and colleagues from her graduate research is important as well.. In the world of academia, everyone speaks English, so there is no problem. However, speaking Japanese will broaden your horizons. In any case, if you want to come to Japan, take the plunge and come. You won't regret it.“

Suresh Rao is a scientist at Mitsubishi Chemical Group in Yokohama, Japan, specializing in biomaterial design, polymer engineering, and material development. Originally from Trichy, India, he earned his Ph.D. from Kyushu University (2015 - 2019) as a MEXT scholar. He has expertise in recycling technology and semiconductor packaging materials. Since joining Mitsubishi Chemical Group in 2019, he has contributed to projects including Pickering emulsion technology (patent published), reversible bonding adhesives (patent applied), and carbon fiber recycling technology. His work involves advanced material analysis and development.

"After completing his PhD research, he joined a private company. This decision was driven by his desire to engage with a wide range of technologies hands-on. Working with a focus on the future is extremely rewarding. At Mitsubishi Chemical's R&D Center, there is a wealth of cutting-edge technologies, making the work environment incredibly stimulating. How he found this job is that the university lab introduced him to a job hunting site. In India, companies start visiting universities about three months before graduation, but in Japan, it is better to start job hunting eight months in advance. He said his Japanese resume was helped by his colleagues, and he had six interviews with the same company.
Since the company is aiming for globalization, we use not only Japanese but also English. In particular, communication in the technical field can be sufficiently conducted in English. However, within the organization, Japanese is primarily used.
In any case, enthusiasum that matters, You can do it!!"

2, Discussions

During the panel discussion, all the speakers will gather together under the moderator, Professor Oki, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Law, Kyushu University, to engage in a question-and-answer session and discussion with the audience.

3, Closing Remarks

Finally, Associate Professor Oki, based on each keynote speech, presentation, and discussion, pointed out the issues regarding the exit strategy for Indian students, which was the theme of this symposium. Employment is not the final goal, and career development after that is also important, so industry, government, and academia need to work together to create a good environment. He also concluded by saying that it is necessary for not only students but also the general public in Japan to deepen their understanding of India.

End