After graduating from high school, he went to study in Japan, majoring in agricultural economics. The choice allowed him to offer practical assistance to farmers, and it laid the foundations for his career.
高中畢業後，李登輝赴日深造，主修農業經濟，就是希望能實實在在地幫助農人，也以此奠定一生志業，可以看出他的「務實」個性。