No. of foreign students reaches record 132,720+

TOKYO, Dec. 24 Kyodo -
The number of foreign students studying in Japan reached a record 132,720 as of
May 1 this year, up 8,891 from last year, a student support organization
announced Thursday.
According to Japan Student Services Organization, students from China accounted
for the largest number at 79,082, followed by South Korea at 19,605 and Taiwan
at 5,332.
Students from the three areas made up 78 percent of overall foreign students,
and Asian students occupied 92 percent of the total.
''Universities have actively accepted foreign students and the number is
expected to increase next year and beyond,'' the organization said.
Among those students, 64,327 were enrolled in universities, 35,405 in graduate
schools and 27,914 in professional schools.
By university, Waseda University in Tokyo accepted the largest number of
foreign students at 3,114, followed by Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in
Oita Prefecture at 2,786 and the University of Tokyo at 2,473, according to the
organization.
==Kyodo