Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate acceptance of foreign students pursued health care education at different academic institutions during 1997-2001 in Yamaguchi Prefecture comparing to that of Japan. Materials and Methods: Related information was gathered reviewing available reports and publications of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and Yamaguchi Prefectural Government. Results: The yearly average number of foreign students in Yamaguchi Prefecture and in Japan during the period was 363 and 60184, respectively. The maximum of them were from developing countries and financed by Japanese funds. The yearly average number of foreign students pursued health care education in Yamaguchi Prefecture during the period was 13 (i.e., 4% of the yearly average number of all foreign students in the area during the period) and that in Japan was 2748 (i.e., 5% of the yearly average number of all foreign students in Japan during the period). There was no difference between the numbers of foreign students pursued health care education in Yamaguchi Prefecture and in Japan during the mentioned period. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggested that the strategy for acceptance of foreign students for health care education in Yamaguchi Prefecture was consistent with that in the whole Japan indicating similar played role in international cooperation through health care education, which is expected to be strengthened and be continued to support developing countries in human resources development for health.

Japan Foreign students Health care education Acceptance Yamaguchi Prefecture

Japan health status Review developing country student human health education