Japanese individuals, not government officials, need to facilitate "intellectual exchanges" with people overseas to keep up with globalization, experts said in Tokyo on Sunday.

They were speaking at a symposium commemorating the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Fulbright exchange program between Japan and the United States.

The 50th Anniversary Symposium was organized by the Japan-United States Educational Commission (JUSEC), the GARIOA/Fulbright Alumni Association, and the Japan-United States Educational Exchange Promotion Foundation (also known as the Fulbright Foundation).