Recent Debates on Public-Private Cost Sharing for Higher Education in Japan

Abstract

Abstract This essay reviews three books and one article about recent debates on public-private cost sharing for higher education in Japan. To mitigate the problems related to low fertility and a rapidly aging population, the Japanese government plans to implement a free tuition policy for higher education for students from less affluent households. These books and the article reveal the historical, political, and economic factors behind why Japan’s current level of public spending on higher education is lower than that of other OECD countries. They also reveal that household income remains one of the most important determinants of college advancement, and that a free tuition policy has the potential to increase enrollment in higher education. However, this essay argues that a deeper understanding of the demand for higher education based on empirical studies is needed to make the policy successful.