Schools buck coed trend to remain as women's universities in Japan

Amid a nationwide shift in Japan where women's universities are either becoming coeducational or closing due to the shrinking student population, one school in Nagoya has declared it will remain exclusively for women. Sugiyama Jogakuen University, founded in 1905, is the only of three well-known women's universities in central Japan's Tokai region that has chosen to remain all-women. Chairman Yasuo Sugiyama stated that such institutions are necessary as they help students overcome invisible societal hurdles.

At coeducational institutions, students may unconsciously internalize outdated gender roles, with men often being seen as leaders. Sugiyama argued that women's universities allow students to be true to themselves and gain leadership experience. In contrast to Kyoto Women's University, which saw a decrease in applicants, Sugiyama Jogakuen's enrollment has remained steady and even increased slightly.

Both universities are also working on reforms to attract female students from regional areas. Sugiyama Jogakuen plans to launch an interdisciplinary program in pop culture and entertainment in 2028, the first of its kind in the Tokai region. Meanwhile, Kyoto Women's University has established a faculty of data science and plans to add three new faculties, including food science and nursing, starting from the next academic year. The universities are also offering scholarships to students from outside nearby prefectures.