Education minister Hakubun Shimomura unveiled Wednesday a plan for the government to provide scholarship to help high school graduates take part in short-term overseas study programs that would fill the period after graduation if universities shift their admissions to fall. In a speech delivered in Washington, Shimomura said, "There will be a half-year period after (students) graduate in March until fall admission to university. The state will provide grants to those students going abroad during that period."