The Justice Ministry will launch a new immigration initiative possibly next month to allow university students from overseas to come to Japan during school breaks to teach children at public schools, it was learned Monday.

The foreign university students would teach such subjects as their language or native customs at Japanese elementary, junior high and high schools, sources said.

Because the new program would allow them to be remunerated for their work, proponents said it could expand grassroots international exchanges, which have long been dependent on volunteers.