Activity report
Multi-Party Workshop on the Promotion of ‘Outbound Study Abroad’
Last year, Mr. Hakubun Shimomura , a member of the Lower House of Representatives and Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Japan’s ‘Committee for Researching Study Abroad Issues’ asked JAOS to propose a concrete plan regarding the government’s goal of sending 300,000 students overseas (see link). This ‘Workshop for Promoting Outbound Study Abroad’ was called for by Mr. Shimomura and Democratic Party of Japan and House of councilors member Mr. Yoshitake Kimata in order to discuss the creation of a special supplementary budget for 2009. In addition to Mr. Shimomura and Mr. Kimata, participants included lower house representatives Ms. Yasuko Ikenobo (Komeito Party) and Mr. Hiroshi Hase (LDP) as well as Mr. Kusuo Oshima (DPJ – Democratic Party of Japan) and Ms. Aiko Shimajiri (LDP) from the House of Councilors. JAOS and JAISE (Japan Association of International Educational Exchange Organizations for High School Students) were asked to explain the current overseas study situation in Japan and present a concrete proposal concerning how outbound overseas study for high school students might be promoted. Due to this workshop, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology decided to allocate money to be used as grants for high school students wishing to go abroad through programs offered by JAOS and JAISE members. JAOS greatly appreciates the efforts of representatives Shimomura, Ikenobo, and Kimata for helping to make these funds available and for their dedication to promoting overseas study activities through their participation in the workshop.