City to be centre for Japanese scholarship exams Read more: City to be centre for Japanese scholarship exams

BANGALORE: Next year, students from Karnataka who want to study in Japan needn't go to one of the four metros for scholarship exams. They can come to Bangalore instead.

Announcing this in the backdrop of Emperor Akihito's birthday on December 14, Mayayuki Tsuchikawa, consul and head of the consulate told TOI that scholarships are offered in three courses -- undergraduate, diploma and professional training. "Once Class 12 results are out, an announcement will be made. Thereafter, entrance exams will be held here," Tsuchikawa said. Earlier, state students had to go to Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai or Kolkata. The Japanese embassy currently gives scholarships for research in science and at the post-graduate level.

To draw more students to Japanese universities, Tokyo University is setting up a liaison office in Bangalore next year.

VISA POWER

The number of Indian students in Japanese universities may not be high, but Japan is a favourite job destination.

Over 6,000 visas were issued here and work visas were the most. "More than 20,000 people from India visited Japan on a tourist visa last year,'' Tsuchikawa said.

The consul said 30-35 Japanese companies are setting up units in Karnataka and 150 are already functioning. Besides Toyota, some big names include Komtsu, Sony, Toshiba, Nishin and Yakult. "Japan Steel Company, the second largest steel company in Japan, will set up its independent unit next year in Karnataka. Now, it's functioning in collaboration with JSW,'' Tsuchikawa said.

The Japanese Bank for International Cooperation ( JBIC) has extended 44,704 million yen loan to the Bangalore Metro rail project.

After New Delhi, Karnataka is the favourite destination for Japanese in the country -- over 570 of them live in the state, with 560 in Bangalore alone.

Read more: City to be centre for Japanese scholarship exams - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/City-to-be-centre-for-Japanese-scholarship-exams/articleshow/7089614.cms#ixzz18Grdkj00