Gereltuya Orgilsaikhan (Amina), a graduate student at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, began studying Japanese in high school.
Originally from Mongolia, Amina has spent the past six years studying in Japan, first completing her undergraduate degree at Shinshu University and now pursuing a master’s degree in international studies. Her research focuses on how microfinance can support poverty reduction in Central Asia, with a particular interest in small and medium-size enterprises and their role in local economies.
──What brought you to Japan?
When I was a high school student, living abroad alone seemed quite scary, especially as a female student. In that sense, Japan seemed safe. At my high school, we also took Japanese classes and even used Japanese textbooks for entrance exams. This helped spark my interest in Japanese culture and history, influencing my decision.
From a research perspective, Japan experienced rapid economic growth after World War II, so I wanted to learn more about it. Furthermore, Japan provides a lot of scholarships for international students, which helped me a lot.
──What was the most difficult part of adapting to Japan?
At first, the language. Even though I knew Japanese, using it academically was completely different and I had difficulty understanding lectures.
Communicating with people was also sometimes difficult. I felt that things are not always said directly, which made it hard for me to understand what others really meant. Initially, that made me a bit uncomfortable because I wanted to understand people more clearly.
I thought it might be because of my language skills, but later I realized it was more about communication styles and cultural differences.
──What helped you adjust to life in Japan?
Joining different activities and meeting new people helped a lot. For example, I joined an English-speaking circle and participated in activities supporting exchange students. In general, being active and participating in events really helped me build relationships and adjust to life in Japan.
──How is graduate school different from undergraduate study?
In undergraduate study, professors are more likely to guide and help students with their studies. In graduate school, it’s more about critical thinking. Students have to think on their own.
There are also fewer required classes, so it’s more free, but that also means students need to be more self-disciplined. Graduate students have to plan their own research and manage their time.
──Why did you decide to go to graduate school?
In the future, I want to work in an international organization on development-related issues, which requires a graduate degree. So I decided to continue in academia instead of starting work.
I was already interested in international relations, so I wanted to connect my academic background in economics and continue studying in the same direction.
──How would you describe your academic environment?
It’s really strict and students have to be very independent. The professor gives advice, but the students have to come up with their own ideas and push themselves.
One unique part of my academic environment is that there are students from different backgrounds, such as engineering, agriculture, economics, and disaster prevention, but we all approach topics from an international relations perspective. Discussing ideas with people from different fields is both challenging and interesting, and that’s one thing I really like about my department.
──What is your research about?
I’m researching how microfinance influences poverty reduction in developing countries, especially in Central Asia, such as Mongolia.
I want to focus on small and medium-size enterprises and how supporting them helps people escape poverty. There is already a lot of research on East Asia and Africa, but since microfinance in Central Asia is quite different, I want to focus on and understand it more systematically.
──What challenges have you faced in your research?
In developing countries, there isn’t enough reliable or qualified data. Because of this limitation, I’m planning to go to Mongolia and collect data directly by talking with banking organizations and people working there. Many students in our department do fieldwork in their target countries.
Not only that, but analyzing the data and deciding what level of analysis is enough for graduate research is challenging. Sometimes I’m not sure whether I’ve done enough or if I should do more.
──How are research expenses handled?
While some departments don’t have issues with research funding, we have very limited funding. For example, there is a fund for fieldwork, but it has to be shared among students, so each person might only get a small amount.
As a result, I will primarily use my own money to go to Mongolia. It definitely limits what I can do. I want to meet more organizations and better understand the situation, but it’s difficult financially. I’m saving money now.
──Do you see yourself staying in Japan in the future, or eventually returning to Mongolia
I want to stay in Japan for a while after graduate school because I want to gain more academic and professional experience here. At the same time, I also want to stay connected to Mongolia and continue working on development-related issues in Central Asia.
Since my research focuses on microfinance and small businesses, I hope to eventually work on projects that directly support local communities. I think my future will probably involve moving between different countries rather than staying in one place.
──What advice would you give to students considering studying in Japan?
Start learning Japanese. Even if your program is in English, you will be living here, so you need it to communicate and feel like you belong.
Also, I think independence, open-mindedness, and curiosity are important. Japan can be challenging, so you need to be able to handle things yourself and respect the culture.
This interview was conducted in English and has been edited and condensed for clarity.
The post From Mongolia to Japan: A Six-Year Journey Into Development Research first appeared on 東大新聞オンライン.
From Mongolia to Japan: A Six-Year Journey Into Development Research 2026 IUSTITIA.BG – Investigations 2009-2025 2026-06-17 03:56:07
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