Characteristics of Japanese Higher Education and Students: Insights from a 2024 Five-Country Survey

This study examines the characteristics of Japanese university education and its students using the 2024 survey. We analyze Japanese university education and student characteristics from two perspectives. The analysis results for the first question indicate that while East Asian countries are returning to face-to-face classes, online classes have become well-established, particularly in the United States, and are likely to be utilized for diverse educational experiences. Data since 2022 show little significant change in Japan, indicating a stable trend. Notably, several characteristics of Japanese university education have become apparent: The analysis of the second question revealed that the mean scores for each question item across five countries survey results—covering factual knowledge, awareness, and personality traits—demonstrated a consistent pattern: Japan’s mean scores were the lowest among the five countries for all questions, while the United States’ average scores were the highest. These findings may reflect cultural differences, warranting caution in interpreting data from international comparative studies.