To promote sustainable development within the global knowledge-based society, the Japanese government is urging the nation's higher education institutions to internationalize. Although a select number of Japanese universities are highly regarded in world university rankings, many observers argue that the majority of Japanese higher education institutions are not sufficiently internationalized compared with those of other industrialized countries. However, the dynamics and structure of internationalization is highly diverse, and well considered policy initiatives are required to guide and foster the process in respective institutions. Based on a comprehensive survey of reviews of internationalization in Japanese universities, this article examines the perceptions of Japanese university leaders in terms of the extent to which they reflect an "international" character. The present context and possible roles of government and institutions for internationalization in Japanese higher education are also explored. (Contains 7 tables and 2 figures.)