Band 6+: The line graph below gives information about number of foreign students in Japan from 1985 to 2003. The pie chart shows the number of foreign students in Japan by region and country of origin in 2003. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

The line chart depicts the changes in international students in Japan between 1985 and 2003, while the pie graph details the number of foreigners studying there in 2003 based on geographic region of origin.

Overall, overseas students in Japan had grown constantly throughout the period and most of them were privately-financed. It is also evident that Asians constituted the majority of foreign undergraduates in 2003.

Over 18 years, foreigners learning in Japan surged from 15000 to around 109500 and this was mainly contributed by self-funded students, who rose significantly from approximately 12000 in 1985 to more than 98000 in 2003. For those with MEXT scholarship and government subsidy, the figures for these two groups in 1985 were about 2500 and 770, respectively. Nevertheless, the number of undergraduates entering Japan via foreign government study programs only increased marginally to 1627 at the end of the period, whereas those with MEXT scholarships climbed gradually to almost 9750.

In terms of regional distribution, about 92% of overseas undergraduates in Japan were Asian and most of them were of Korean and Chinese origin. The proportion of learners from Europe and the Americas made up around 3% each, whilst those from Africa, Oceania, and Middle East accounted for only 0.6 to 1% by the year 2003.