A Compared to American universities where entering is easy and graduating is difficult, at Japanese universities entering is difficult and graduating is easy. Of course, there are many Japanese universities where the students are required to study before they can be granted a diploma. But a great number of university students seem to be laid-back, perhaps stemming from the fact that the lectures are oftentimes carried out on a one-way basis on the part of the teacher.

Skipping classes is no problem. The student can always manage to receive credits for the courses by borrowing someone's notes or reading a book that covers the lectures. It became an issue at Japanese universities that teachers who did not produce a paper for a number of years were allowed to remain on the faculty. There are people who say that the low level of the teachers at universities gives rise to students who do not study.

The seriousness of the American university system where teachers are rated by the students does not exist in Japan. The expense of running a Japanese university is covered by tuition as well as the exorbitant amount coming in from both the entrance examination and admission fees every year.

The new student is a veritable cash box. It certainly is no exaggeration to say that the system would not function unless even students who do not study are permitted to graduate when their time comes.