EducationBigger endowments seen as cushion against enrollment decline and inflationJapanese universities are under pressure from rising costs, even as student numbers are set to shrink. (Nikkei montage)Nikkei staff writersJuly 12, 2026 07:06 JSTTOKYO -- Japan's government is poised to allow national universities to jointly invest in stocks, real estate and other assets, giving smaller schools a way to build wealth as falling enrollment puts strain on budgets.