JAPAN’s Tsukuba University could operate a branch campus in Malaysia as early as 2020, Education Minister Maszlee Malik said.

A branch of the Nippon Designers School will also start operations next year, he said in a statement on Malaysia’s invitation to Japanese institutions of higher learning to open branches here.

The ministry is following up on Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s invitation for Japanese higher institutions of learning to open branches in Malaysia during a working trip to Tokyo two days ago.

Maszlee said another institution that was on the cards is the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.

“The ministry has started the process of scouting for suitable locations and setting application and registration standards for students,” he said in a statement today.

He added that he discussed Dr Mahathir’s invitation with Japan’s Education, Science, Culture and Technology Minister Masahiko Shibayama.

The city of Itabashi is also willing to form a twinning programme with a Malaysian city, Maszlee added.

He met with Itabashi mayor Takeshi Sakamoto to discuss twinning activities in tourism and education, such as student exchange programmes.

Maszlee also reiterated the ministry’s plan to provide free breakfasts to children from B40 families after his visit to the Itabahashi Daiichi Elementary School.

He said the ministry could learn from Japanese schools on ways to teach children cleanliness and discipline from their kindergarten years. – November 7, 2018.