Japanese Medical School Apologizes for Legacy Admissions

The head of a Japanese medical school apologized for giving preference in admissions decisions to children of alumni, The Japan Times reported. “We gave preferences to some applicants whose parents graduated from our school, in the belief they were more likely to enroll in our school and to contribute to the continuity of the medical institutions affiliated to the university,” Tadatoshi Takayama, the head of Nihon University's medical school, said at a news conference.

Japan has long been noted for its meritocratic education system. Giving preference to children of alumni -- so-called legacy applicants -- is a common admissions practice in the U.S.