Nearly half of Japan’s companies expect to hire foreigners studying in Japan next year, according to survey by a job information company.

According to Disco Inc., 48.4 percent of the companies intend to hire such students in fiscal 2014, which is 13.2 points higher than those that actually followed through on such hires in fiscal 2013.

In the latest survey, 69.0 percent of large companies with more than 1,000 employees said they intend to hire such students.

The poll was conducted from late August to early September and drew 539 respondents.

According to the results, restaurant chains, wholesalers and retailers that had been less active in hiring foreign students have turned very positive. They are interested in securing personnel to make inroads into rapidly growing markets elsewhere in Asia, or in engaging the growing number of visitors to Japan, Disco said.

The nations whose students are in highest demand are China, which topped the list, followed by Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan and South Korea, it said.