Beijing language university to ‘set up Tokyo campus’

A Beijing university famous for teaching Chinese to foreigners is to open its first overseas campus in Tokyo.

One of the reasons behind the move is that air pollution is deterring Japanese students from studying in the Chinese capital, the news agency Kyodo reported.

The venture by the Beijing Language and Culture University will open in April in Ikebukuro, a commercial district of Tokyo.

Students in Japan will be able to obtain the same degrees and diplomas as in Beijing.

Political ties between the two countries are strained due to sovereignty disputes and stances over the second world war, but strong trade relations have ensured a high demand for Chinese-language skills in Japan.

The Tokyo campus will be the first Japanese venture by a Chinese university since Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine set up a school in Kobe in 2006.