Japan will invest 100 billion yen to cultivate global research talents

Japanese universities aiming to attract outstanding researchers from overseas will soon be eligible for financial aid from Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

The program hopes to attract researchers leaving the United States after moves by Donald Trump’s administration to block some international students from enrolling and reduce research staff.

In order to revitalize Japan’s science and technology field, the Japanese government plans to invest approximately 100 billion yen to attract foreign research talents, of which investment returns from university endowment funds are one of the funding sources for the plan.

What the initiative is about

The ministry’s plans include accepting at least 100 researchers. It will provide grants to universities and research institutions to cover staff costs and research expenses required for recruitment.

The financial support is intended to last three years. Project leaders each receive 30 million yuan per year, postdoctoral researchers each receive 15 million yuan per year, and graduate students each receive approximately 5 million yuan per year. The department has included 1.7 billion yen in related costs in its fiscal year 2026 budget request.

University of Tokyo Faculty of Engineering Building

US instability intensifies competition for talent

Global competition for high-level research talent has intensified due to the situation in the United States, Attempts to prevent international students from enrolling Layoffs at prestigious institutions such as Harvard University, as well as significant layoffs at research institutions and cuts in university subsidies.

This sense of instability was particularly evident during the summer, when new visas for certain employment categories, including the H-1B specialty occupation visa, which is critical for researchers, were suspended.

These researchers bring new knowledge, create innovative projects, and train the next generation of scholars and scientists, so it’s no wonder they are in demand.

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