The manifestation of global identity among international students in Japan

Abstract Amid a shifting global cultural landscape, fostering global identity (GI) among students has become a critical focus in international education ( Hendershot & Sperandio, 2009 ). Japan’s surge in international student enrollment, driven by policies promoting global learning within a multicultural context, underscores the need to examine how international students navigate their experiences in Japan and manifest a GI. This study views international students as active agents, investigating multifaceted factors shaping their GI. Combining questionnaire data and semi-structured interviews, the analysis applies Identity Theory ( Stryker & Burke, 2000 ) to explore both personal and external influences during their time in Japan. The findings reveal that students’ regional backgrounds, language proficiency, and engagement with academic, multicultural, and local Japanese communities significantly relate to GI formation. This empirical evidence challenges the traditional view of GI as an inherent disposition, instead linking it to community dynamics within the unique context of a non-Western and non-English-language setting.