Japan is setting ambitious educational goals with plans to increase the number of individuals obtaining PhD degrees by 30%, aiming for an annual total of 20,000. This initiative is in response to the nation’s need for greater intellectual resources to maintain a circular economy and competitive edge. Although the timeline for this goal is not specified in the headline, the policy indicates a significant shift in Japan’s commitment to higher education and intellectual advancement.

In Japan, there is a high cultural value placed on education. Many believe that higher education is directly linked to the betterment of society and economic advancement. However, there's been a concern that Japan's youth is not pursuing advanced studies as much as desired. This move is considered a strategic attempt to address this issue and further foster the nation's intellectual capital.

In contrast to Japan's need to boost doctorate degree achievement, countries like the US and EU have a fairly high number of PhD graduates each year. However, they too face dilemmas, often citing overproduction of PhDs leading to a competitive job market and underemployment issues within the higher education sector.