A Japanese government panel has compiled a new set of proposals aimed at encouraging more Japanese students to study abroad, including expanding financial support.

The proposals were made at a meeting on Thursday of the Council for the Creation of Future Education that discusses the future of higher education.

Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and education minister Nagaoka Keiko attended the meeting, along with experts including former Keio University President Seike Atsushi.

Japan earlier came up with a new goal of increasing the number of Japanese studying abroad from the current figure of about 200,000 a year to 500,000 within a decade.

At Thursday's meeting, the panel members recommended expanding scholarship programs for Japanese students studying abroad.

They also say there is already a system in which companies repay student loans for employees who have studied abroad.

Japan also aims to increase the number of foreign students that it accepts annually to 400,000 by 2033. Currently, 200,000 to 300,000 such students are accepted into Japan.

The panel proposed that the government should step up its efforts to attract talented foreign high school students. It also called for encouraging Japanese schools to enroll students in autumn or throughout the year, and not only in spring when the academic year starts in Japan.

Kishida instructed the education minister and relevant cabinet ministers to draw up a roadmap for concrete measures by around this summer.

Kishida said that letting Japanese youth, who will lead Japan in the future, develop their talent and realize accomplishments through studying abroad, is a key to transforming the country's society.