TOKYO — Addressing a room of university students, Aya Kikuchi, a counselor, dished out tips for students bound for Canada. “One cultural thing to note is that there is a strong ‘ladies first’ orientation there,” she said at a meeting organized by Ryugaku Journal, an overseas study agency.

“So, people might open the door for you. Just say thanks and accept it,” she said, warning against the Japanese custom of yielding and hesitating when people offer help.

The orientation session for 80 eager students reflected a renewed interest among Japanese students for study-abroad programs, particularly among young women.

While the number of overseas students from other major Asian countries like China and India has boomed, there was a precipitous decline in the number of Japanese studying abroad. According to figures from the government and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 83,000 Japanese studied overseas in 2004, though that number dropped to fewer than 60,000 in 2009.