Trump's attack on international students threatens Asia's elite pipeline

Harvard boasts Singapore's PM, Japan's chief cabinet secretary among alumni

20250613 Harvard

Graduates applaud during commencement ceremonies at Harvard University on May 29 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. © AP

KOUTA OHYAMA and CHIHIRO ISHIKAWA

TOKYO -- U.S. President Donald Trump's policy to reduce international students from top American universities poses a serious threat to Asia's long-established system to produce global leaders.

For decades, prestigious U.S. universities have served as launching pads for high-achieving young people from Asia, propelling them into influential roles in government, business and academia. Now, that well-trodden path appears to be narrowing. A pressing question emerges: If access to U.S. education is cut off, where will the next generation of Asian leaders turn?

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