In Japan, college students have become the victims of the increasing financial burdens of higher education institutions that find it difficult to sustain operations amid a decrease in student numbers, the result of the country's low birth rate.

A survey by the Japanese Cabinet showed that among the respondents who didn't want to have children, 60 percent said because it is costly.

In fact, the costs of higher education have been rising dramatically. In 1981, tuition at private universities averaged about 380,000 yen ($1,723 at that time), and average tuition at public universities was 180,000 yen. In 2014, tuition had increased to over 860,000 yen ($7,224) at private universities and 535,800 yen at public ones. Freshmen also have to pay hundreds of thousands of yen in administrative fees when they enter universities.

Soaring tuition has come as the income of Japanese families has declined due to the economic downturn. In 1997, a Japanese employee could earn around 4.67 million yen annually on average, but this number stood at only 4.14 million yen in 2014.

According to a survey by Japan's Central Council for Financial Services Information, 10.8 percent of Japanese families with more than two members had zero savings in 1998, and this had risen to 31 percent in 2013.

To help students afford expensive higher education, the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) offered low-interest or interest-free loans for college students, but many students cannot pay back the money within the given period. Statistics show that around 330,000 students didn't repay their loans in 2013, 1.8 times the 2004 number.

Japan doesn't offer as many varieties of scholarships as European countries and the US, either.

Entering universities often means going into debt, which puts young people in a worsening financial position. They find it harder and harder to repay their loans, since about 20 percent of graduates can't find a decent job due to Japan's sluggish economy in recent years.

As a result, Japan and South Korea rank highest among the members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in terms of the proportion of the burden of higher education costs that families take on, which stands at 50 percent.

Lack of money has become the foremost reason cited by students who drop out. An October survey by the education ministry of 1,163 of Japan's 1,191 public and private universities, two-year colleges and vocational schools showed that around 80,000 students quit in 2013, and nearly 70,000 left college temporarily due to financial issues, The Japan Times reported.

In this context, students from less well-off families find it harder to afford high-quality education, and they are consequently less likely to get jobs in enterprises that offer higher salaries.

This has concerned many scholars and law experts who have pointed out that students now have differentiated access to higher education because of high tuition and the low availability of scholarships.

There is also serious differentiation between large cities and small ones, since most universities are located in bustling cities where people are better off economically.

The statistics tell the story. The enrolment rate for high-school students is highest in Tokyo at 72.5 percent, followed by 65.4 percent in Kyoto and 64.3 percent in Kanagawa. Kagoshima had the lowest rate with 32.1 percent. The rate is below 40 percent in five prefectures.

Students who enter universities from prefectures often have to deal with financial problems. Although taking part-time jobs to pay living expenses and gain experience is pervasive among Japanese students, sometimes those barely supported by their parents have to spend more time working than studying.

Meanwhile, surveys by civic groups have shown that as many as 70 percent of students suffer poor treatment in their workplaces. For instance, a college student who sold bread in a bakery was asked to sell 100 pieces a day, but ended the day with three pieces left. The owner of the bakery then deducted 500 yen from the student's salary for each piece.

Masayuki Kobayashi, a higher education professor at the University of Tokyo, wrote in his book that making choices is a personal freedom, but it will be a loss to society if young people who have abilities and dreams can't pursue higher education for the sake of their survival.

Civic groups that have been following scholarship issues have made many suggestions, calling on the government to raise its budget for education, lower tuition fees and issue more scholarships for students. Flexible repayment plans should also be put in place to help families with financial problems.

The author is a columnist based in Tokyo. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn