Founder of the Sakuranesia Foundation, Tovic Rustam, along with Sakura Ijuin, paid a courtesy visit to Bunkyo Gakuin University in Tokyo, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Rustam, in a statement released in Jakarta on Friday, said that the Sakuranesia Foundation is an organization that focuses on developing educational ties between Japan and Indonesia.

"I hope this can be a momentum to deepen cultural exchange with Indonesia," he added.

He said the visit was made with the support of Azalee Group director, Kurusu, and general manager Yamaguchi, who have built a comprehensive cooperative relationship with Bunkyo Gakuin University.

During the meeting, the two parties discussed the possibility of establishing a Japanese language faculty in Indonesia as a concrete step in educational cooperation.

Founded in 1924 as Shimada Saihou Denshusho, or Shimada Sewing Training Institute, Bunkyo Gakuin University has now developed into an integrated educational institution, offering kindergarten to postgraduate programs.

The university is known for its philosophy of "Independence and Coexistence," which continues to be relevant today.

In 2026, the university will open the Faculty of Human Data Science to educate human resources about creating a society that lives side by side by utilizing data in the fields of the environment, local communities, health, and welfare that are directly related to human happiness.

 

The rector and chair of the Bunkyo Gakuin Foundation, Masakazu Shimada, expressed his commitment to providing education that is relevant to the challenges of the times.

During the visit, Rustam presented an exclusive batik cloth created by Indonesian renowned artist Guruh Soekarnoputra to Shimada as a sign of friendship and respect for Indonesia's cultural heritage.

"This batik is a unique work that only exists in the world," he said.

In response, Shimada said he will preserve and respect the intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia as part of its century-old history.

Rustam expressed the hope that the gift would be seen as a good initial symbol to strengthen cultural and educational exchanges between Japan and Indonesia.

"The Sakuranesia Foundation, which continues to actively bridge educational cooperation between Japan and Indonesia, is expected to continue to grow and contribute to the advancement of global education," he said.
 

This is the first time for the ministry to attempt such an initiative, which it is undertaking with the aim of both contributing to the international community and expanding use of Japanese medical equipment and pharmaceuticals around Asia.

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry plans to cover tuition and living expenses for select international students from Asia studying at medical schools in Japan.

This is the first time for the ministry to attempt such an initiative, which it is undertaking with the aim of both contributing to the international community and expanding use of Japanese medical equipment and pharmaceuticals around Asia.

The initiative is expected to start as early as fiscal 2026 and the ministry plans to accept about 20 students. The program will be conducted on a trial basis to examine its effectiveness. Applicants will be sought via the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, an international organization headquartered in Indonesia and funded by Japan.

Those selected will receive Japanese language training in their home countries and then come to Japan. They will study at university medical schools for six years, toward obtaining a doctor’s license.

The government will cover their tuition fees and all their living expenses. The ministry has earmarked \290 million for related spending in a supplementary budget for fiscal 2024.

The ministry will decide the details going forward, such as which countries will be eligible, how to seek out applicants and which universities will accept the international students. The ministry has in mind Vietnamese students who will be able to work as doctors in their home country if they meet certain criteria.

According to the ministry, tuition fees for medical schools range from several hundred thousand yen to several million yen a year and international students often face a language barrier.

While some universities have scholarships and general support programs for international students, the number of international medical students coming to Japan has been flat.

As of May last year, there were 217 international students, including short-stay students, studying at the medical schools of public and private universities across the nation, accounting for less than 1% of all medical school students in Japan, according to the Japan Student Services Organization and others.

“We would like international students to not just study medicine in Japan but also learn about the high quality of Japanese medical equipment and pharmaceuticals,” said an official at the ministry.

“If they introduce these things in their countries after returning home, it will help grow the Japanese economy.”
 
 

Japan's household spending in July rose a real 0.1 percent from a year earlier for the first increase in three months, as higher wages drove outlays on home renovations and entertainment, government data shows.

But the relatively modest increase indicates households have had to curb spending on food and utilities amid the inflationary environment.

Average spending by households with two or more people stood at 290,931 yen, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said.

Overall spending was lifted by a 17.3 percent increase in housing outlays, as more people did home renovations such as installing new kitchens and bathtubs, the ministry said.

Outlays on entertainment rose 5.6 percent as more households bought televisions to watch the Paris Olympics, a ministry official said. Expenditures on domestic package tours surged 47.0 percent while those for overseas package tours jumped 62.6 percent.

The average monthly income of salaried households with at least two people climbed 5.5 percent in real terms to 694,483 yen in July, rising for the third straight month, following increases of 3.1 percent and 3.0 percent in June and May, respectively, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, expenditures on food, which account for around 30 percent of spending, fell 1.7 percent, as people spent less on meat and vegetables, with more households reducing their purchases of beef and pork to buy chicken, which is cheaper, the official said.

Spending on electricity and gas decreased 4.6 percent as people cut back on their usage after government subsidies were temporarily discontinued.

While overall personal consumption is recovering, households are becoming more selective in their spending amid rising prices, the official said.

"Spending has not increased as much as wages grew. Some households may be saving part of their increased income," the official said, adding that the ministry will continue to watch closely how the rising wages affect consumption.

Household spending is a key indicator of private consumption, which accounts for more than half of Japan's gross domestic product.
 

 

Dr. Ghazi Binzagr, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Japan, visited the Shizuoka Futaba Junior and Senior High School on Sept. 3, where he discussed the Kingdom’s culture with the pupils as part of the school’s cultural exchange event.

There were 230 pupils at Binzagr’s session, where he gave a speech about bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Japan and encouraged the students to visit the Kingdom.

Additionally, he discussed Saudi Arabia’s culture and introduced dates and lambs as dishes that represent the Kingdom. He said the two countries have similarities in culture, such as respecting and appreciating elderly people. 

“I want two countries with similar values to deepen intergenerational ties in the fields of culture and economy and convey the charm of Asia to the world,” Binzagr said. 

The ambassador engaged with the students as he answered their questions about the Kingdom and shared memories from his childhood. He also participated in the school’s tea ceremony activities. 

The speech had a positive effect on the students, reflecting their curiosity about different cultures. “The words ‘cherish encounters’ were impressive. I wanted to know more about Saudi Arabia,” one of the pupils said.