Inside the World of JICA Students (Part ㉑)

The Graduate Course Program Division in JICA Tokyo hosted Japanese undergraduates and graduate students participating in the 2025 JICA Internship Program. In this article, we introduce interviews conducted by interns with international students from developing countries.

Interviewer: GOMI Soma (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)

This time, I interviewed Mr. Hussain Yoosuf (hereafter “Hussain-san”), who is from the Maldives and currently studying at the International University of Japan. Before coming to Japan, Hussain-san worked as a Human Resource Officer at the Regional Hospital in his City. I spoke with him about his life and studies in Japan, as well as his future aspirations.

He decided to apply because he felt that JICA is a highly reliable organization and has a very close relationship with the Maldives. He also considered the fact that the universities and programs offered aligned closely with his interests in higher education, which contributed to his decision to apply.

Hussain-san’s research theme focuses on the impact of government expenditure on healthcare and welfare on the fiscal sustainability of the Maldives. He explained that public spending on health and social welfare has been increasing steadily over the years and now represents a significant burden on government finances. While these expenditures are essential for social development, concerns remain regarding their long-term sustainability and efficiency. His research aims to examine the fiscal implications of rising healthcare and welfare spending and to explore policy-relevant approaches that could help improve sustainability while maintaining effective service delivery.

It has been seven months since Hussain-san arrived in Japan. At first, he struggled with many differences from the Maldives, including the climate, living alone for the first time, and Japan’s particularly complex train system. However, he told us with a smile, “I’m used to it now.”
Even in an unfamiliar environment, he has enjoyed many first-time experiences such as riding a mountain bike and playing in the snow. As most of the students at his university are international, he does not yet have many opportunities to interact with Japanese students, but he hopes to make more Japanese friends moving forward. He has also been expanding his learning opportunities by attending seminars at JICA Tokyo.
In Japanese, he is now able to have simple conversations, and in difficult situations he uses translation apps while continuing to communicate proactively.

After completing his studies, leveraging his experience working in the Regional Hospital and what he has learned in Japan, he aims to contribute to the sustainable development of the Maldives. Hussain-san hopes to engage in work related to sustainable development and civic education. He aspires to strengthen the accountability of the Maldivian government and public agencies while enhancing the awareness and capacities of individual citizens, thereby contributing to greater transparency in the development sector.

What left the strongest impression on me was Hussain-san’s “love for the Maldives.” From displaying the Maldivian flag in his home, to his enthusiasm when talking about Maldivian traditional dishes such as garudhiya and the country’s rich natural environment, as well as his strong desire to contribute to the future of the Maldives —his passion was evident throughout our conversation.
His expression also lit up when he spoke about wanting to travel throughout Japan, including Mount Fuji, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, which was memorable to see.
I sincerely hope he will absorb as much as he can during his stay and give back to his home country in the future.