Though many international schools were founded in order to educate the children of expatriates, they have often come to offer an educational alternative for local parents. This article attempts to understand why Japanese parents enrol their children in international schools in Japan. Based on interviews and responses to questionnaires returned by Japanese parents whose children attend six international schools in Japan, it examines the factors that emerge as the most important. It concludes that these Japanese parents have their eyes on the world beyond Japan. They want their children to mix with those from other cultures and to have access to university education in English-speaking countries. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)