University of Tokyo

Origins

The University of Tokyo traces its roots to three independent institutes founded during the Edo period (1603–1868).^[9] The oldest, a Shogun-funded Confucian school called Senseiden (先聖殿), was founded in 1630 by Razan Hayashi in Ueno.^[25] This school was renamed the Shoheizaka Institute (昌平坂学問所, Shoheizaka Gakumonjo) and came to be operated directly by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1791 as part of the Kansei Reforms. The Tenmongata, founded in 1684, was the astronomical research and education arm of the Shogunate.^[26] It evolved into the Kaisei School (開成学校), a school for Western learnings, after the Meiji Restoration. The Kanda Otamagaike Vaccination Centre, established in 1858,^[27] evolved into a school of Western medicine called Tokyo Medical School (東京医学校, Tokyo Igakkō). Although plans to establish the country's first university had been in place just after the Meiji Restoration, it was not until around 1875 that it was decided to form the university by merging these schools.^[28]

Founding and early days

The University of Tokyo was chartered on April 12, 1877, by the Meiji government. Corresponding to the fields covered by the predecessor schools, it started with four faculties: Law, Science, Letters, and Medicine. The Imperial College of Engineering later merged into the university as the Faculty of Engineering. In 1886, the university was renamed Imperial University, and it adopted the name Tokyo Imperial University in 1897 after the founding of the next imperial university, what is now Kyoto University.^[10] By 1888, all faculties had completed their relocation to the former site of the Tokyo residence of the Maeda family in Hongo, where they continue to operate today. Among the few extant structures built before this relocation is a gate called Akamon, which has since become a widely recognised symbol of the university.

During its initial two decades as a modern institution, UTokyo benefited from the contributions of European and American scholars. In 1871, the Meiji Government made a decision about the direction of academic disciplines: engineering was to be learnt from the United Kingdom, mathematics, physics, and international law from France, while politics, economics, and medicine were to be guided by German expertise. Additionally, agriculture and commercial law knowledge was to be sourced from the United States.^[29] Following this policy, UTokyo and its predecessor institutions sent their graduates to universities in these respective countries and also invited lecturers from them. However, by the 1880s, the Japanese government grew concerned over the spread of French republican and British constitutional monarchist ideals among the faculty and students, and eventually Minister of Education Takato Oki instructed the university to reduce the use of English as a language of instruction, and instead to switch to Japanese.^[30] This shift coincided with the return of UTokyo alumni who had completed their education in Europe, and these returnees began filling roles that had been predominantly held by foreign scholars.

Interwar period

The first half of the Interwar period in Japan was characterised by the spread of liberal ideas, collectively known as Taishō Democracy.^[31] This movement was ushered in by the concept of Minpon Shugi by Sakuzō Yoshino, as well as Tatsukichi Minobe's interpretation of sovereignty as inherent to the state rather than the monarchy.^[32] Both were alumni and professors at the Faculty of Law. As such ideas were came to be accepted widely, prime minister Takaaki Katō, an alumnus of UTokyo, extended suffrage to all males aged 25 and over in 1925, as promised in his manifesto.^[33] This liberal tendency was also shared among students, exemplified by the labour movement organisation the UTokyo Association of New People (東大新人会, Tōdai Shinjin-kai [ja]) and the UTokyo Settlement (東大セツルメント, Tōdai Settlement [ja]).^[34][35] However, strong reactions against these liberal and socialist ideas also emerged at the university, notably from Shinkichi Uesugi, who mentored and greatly influenced three future prime ministers among his students at UTokyo: Nobusuke Kishi,^[36] Eisaku Satō,^[36] and Takeo Fukuda.^[37]

Great Kanto Earthquake

On September 1, 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake struck the Kanto Plain, inflicting immense damage upon the university. This damage included the complete destruction of almost all main buildings, including the library, as well as the loss of precious scientific and historical samples and data stored in them.^[38][39] This led to a university-wide debate as to whether it should relocate to a larger site, such as Yoyogi, but ultimately, such plans were rejected. Instead, the university purchased additional land in its vicinity, which was still owned by the Maeda family, and expanded there.

The reconstruction of the university and its library was brought up in the fourth general assembly of the League of Nations in September 1923, where it was unanimously decided to provide support. The League is said to have been sympathetic especially because the memory of the destruction of KU Leuven in Belgium during the First World War was still fresh.^[40] The American philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. personally donated $2 million (approximately $36 million in 2023). The United Kingdom formed a committee led by former Prime Minister Arthur Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, and made substantial financial and cultural contributions.^[41] Rockefeller Jr. and Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, a younger son of George V, visited the university in 1929, shortly after the new library was completed.^[42] Prince Henry's visit marked the first Great Ball (大園遊会, Dai-Enyukai) in several years, which is now known as the May Festival (五月祭, Gogatsusai).^[43] A large portion of the buildings on Hongo Campus today were built during this reconstruction period, and their unique Collegiate Gothic style is known as Uchida Gothic (内田ゴシック) after Yoshikazu Uchida, the architect who designed them.^[44]

Another notable change the earthquake brought about at the university was the expansion of its seismology studies. Long having been the only university in the seismically active country, the university was already known for its seismology research, most notably the contributions made by its alumnus and professor, Fusakichi Omori, in quantitatively evaluating the aftershocks of earthquakes (Omori's law) and developing a new type of seismometer capable of recording primary waves.^[45] The university set up an independent seismology department in November 1923 to study the mechanism of earthquakes and to better prepare for future seismic events.^[46] In 1925, with a government grant, the Earthquake Research Institute was established within the university, and it has been in continuous operation up to today.^[47]

World War II

In 1941, the Empire of Japan attacked the American bases at Pearl Harbor and joined World War II as an Axis power alongside Germany. By late 1943, as Japan faced significant defeats in the Pacific theatre, a decision was made to enlist university students studying humanities, sending them to battlefields.^[48] During the war, 1,652 students and alumni of UTokyo were killed, including those from varied civilian professions such as doctors, engineers, and diplomats, as well as those killed in action.^[49] They are commemorated in a memorial erected near the front gate of the Hongo Campus. Most students studying engineering and science remained at university or worked as apprentice engineers, as the knowledge of science and technology was deemed indispensable for the war effort. Leo Esaki, who was a student at the Department of Physics during the war, shared his memory of his university life in 2007: 'The day after the Tokyo Air Raid of 9 March 1945, during which more than 100 thousand citizens were killed, professor Tanaka conducted class as usual, without mentioning the war at all'.^[50] The buildings and facilities of UTokyo were largely immune from air raids, allowing education and research activities to continue.^[51]

The increased demand brought about by the war for engineers, especially in the fields of aeronautics, machinery, electronics, and shipbuilding, led to the establishment of the Second Faculty of Engineering (第二工学部) at UTokyo in 1942. In the newly built Chiba Campus, around 800 students were enrolled at one time, and military engineering research activities were conducted. It was closed in 1951, and as a successor organisation, the Institute of Industrial Science was established on the site of the former headquarters of the Third Infantry Regiment in Roppongi.^[52][53] During the war, the Imperial Army attempted to use the university's facilities several times, including plans to relocate the university to Sendai and use the Hongo Campus as a fortress for the anticipated Allied landing, Operation Downfall, to protect the Imperial Palace. President Yoshikazu Uchida consistently denied these requests by persuading them of the importance of culture, education and research for the country's long-term development. In September 1945, efforts by Uchida and Shigeru Nambara, Dean of the Faculty of Law, prevented the campus from becoming the Allied Headquarters.^[54] Instead, the Dai-Ichi Seimei Building was chosen. Nambara succeeded Uchida as president in December 1945.

Post-war period

In 1947, following Japan's defeat in the Second World War, the university dropped the word 'Imperial' from its name and reverted to the University of Tokyo. During the occupation period, Japan's education system was reformed, and under President Shigeru Nambara the university was reorganised under the new post-war system. Nambara was also appointed chairman of the Education Reform Committee and oversaw changes at other educational institutions nationwide.^[55][56]

In 1949, as part of the reforms, UTokyo merged with two Higher Schools, which were university preparatory boarding schools. It thereby became a four-year university instead of the pre-war three-year one. One of the higher schools that merged with UTokyo, the First Higher School, became the College of Arts and Sciences on the Komaba campus.^[57] At the request of SCAP, the Department of Education was separated from the Faculty of Letters to form the Faculty of Education.^[55] It was also during this period that UTokyo first admitted its female students. The first nineteen female students were matriculated in April 1946.^[58]

21st century

Reforms in the 21st century

Questions of international standing and competitiveness were a recurring concern in national higher-education policy and in the university's own strategic planning throughout the 2010s.^{[66][67][68][69]} One widely cited indicator was the university's position in international rankings:^[67] when the Times Higher Education World University Rankings were first published in partnership with Quacquarelli Symonds in 2004, UTokyo was ranked 12th in the world, whereas in the 2024 Times Higher Education rankings it was ranked 29th.^[70][71]

In response, UTokyo has implemented a series of reforms. In 2004, the University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners (UTEC) was established to support entrepreneurship arising from university research.^[72] In 2006, the first phase of development was completed at Kashiwa Campus. Located in the suburb of Kashiwa, this research-focused campus spans 405,313 square metres (100 acres) and has a focus on advanced scientific research.^[73] In addition, UTokyo expanded autumn matriculation opportunities for international students and adopted other measures to strengthen its international competitiveness and research environment.^[74]

Faculties and graduate schools

The University of Tokyo's academic structure consists of 10 faculties and their affiliated graduate schools. This organisational structure was introduced as a result of reforms in the 1990s.^[79]

In addition to the graduate schools affiliated with specific faculties, the University of Tokyo also includes two independent graduate institutions: the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies and the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP). In 2025, UTokyo announced a plan to launch a five-year programme called the College of Design, starting in the autumn of 2027. This would be the first faculty to be established in nearly 70 years, since the founding of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 1958.^[80] While Japanese local media refer to it as a "faculty (学部)," UTokyo describes it as an integrated five-year programme combining both bachelor's and master's degrees programme, according to the currently announced plans.

Research institutes

Apart from the faculties and graduate schools, the University of Tokyo hosts eleven affiliated research institutes (附置研究所). Simultaneously, they function as educational institutions for the graduate schools.^[81][82][83]

UTokyo Institutes For Advanced Study (UTIAS)

UTokyo Institutes For Advanced Study (UTIAS) started in January 2011. There are four UTIAS institutes as of November 2023.^[84]

University of Tokyo library system

The University of Tokyo Library System consists of three comprehensive libraries located on the main campuses—Hongo, Komaba, and Kashiwa—along with 27 other field-specific libraries operated by various faculties and research institutes.^[87] As of 2024, the University of Tokyo library has a collection of over 10 million books and numerous materials of historical importance.^[88] This collection ranks it as the second-largest library in Japan, surpassed only by the National Diet Library, which holds a collection of approximately 46.8 million books.^[89] It also subscribes to about 170,000 journals.

The headquarters of the library is situated in the General Library at Hongo, which underwent thorough renovation in the late 2010s. It now features a 46-metre-deep automated underground storage capable of housing approximately 3 million books.^[90]

University of Tokyo Hospital

The University of Tokyo Hospital is an academic health science centre operated by the Faculty of Medicine. The hospital finds its roots in the Kanda Otamagaike Vaccination Centre, established in 1858. It has 37 clinical examination rooms for a wide range of specialisations including Cardiovascular Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery, among others. With a capacity of 1,210 beds, the hospital facilitated medical services for 389,830 inpatients and 794,454 outpatients in the fiscal year 2010.^[91] Newsweek's World's Best Hospitals 2023 ranks it 17th in the world, 2nd in Asia, and 1st in Japan.^[92] It serves as the primary hospital for the Imperial Family of Japan, with both the current emperor and the emperor emeritus having undergone major operations there.^[93][94]

Museums

The University of Tokyo operates eight museums, three of which fall under the purview of the University Museum (UMUT).

• 
  An Egyptian Horus sculpture
• 
  UMUT
• 
  Exhibition in UMUT
• 
  The University Museum, c. 1900
• 
  Nikko Botanical Garden

Apart from the aforementioned museums, the University of Tokyo operates several other public facilities, the most notable of which are two botanical gardens managed by the Faculty of Science: Koishikawa and Nikko.

Finances

In 2021-2022, the university had an income of 264.1 billion yen. Of this, 93.4 billion yen (35.1%) was funded by the government, primarily through the Expense Management Grant (運営費交付金). Despite being a national university, this grant from the government has been consistently reduced, dropping from 95.5 billion yen in 2005 to 79.9 billion yen in 2022. A total of 81.2 billion yen (30.5%) was self-earned, through sources such as the university hospitals (54.7 billion yen) and academic fees (16.6 billion yen). The remainder, 91.7 billion yen (34.4%), came from external funding, such as research grants and endowments. Although research grants are primarily earned by research groups and not by the university, the university can typically claim up to 30% of them for university operations, which is included in this number.^[98]

The total assets of the university are valued at 1.47 trillion yen as of March 31, 2024. Land holdings make up the largest percentage of this figure, valued at 878 billion yen.^[99] UTokyo's endowment fund is relatively small, at 44 billion yen as of March 2023. This is because national universities in Japan, including UTokyo, were not allowed to invest in high-risk assets until 2018, so endowments were spent rather than invested until that point.^[100] The UTokyo Foundation is the primary fundraising arm of the university, and it accepts both endowments for the university as a whole and purpose-specific donations.^[101]

UTokyo's tuition fees have been fixed at 535,000 yen annually for undergraduates and master's students since 2005, regardless of their status (whether domestic or international).^[102] This makes up approximately 5% of the university's income. However, the decline in government funding and the university's international standing have brought about discussions on whether to raise these fees.^[103]

Admissions

The University of Tokyo's admission process [ja] (東大入試, tōdai nyūshi) is regarded as the most selective in Japan and is almost synonymous with something that is difficult to achieve.^[104] To apply, candidates must achieve high scores in the Common Test for University Admissions, a standardised multiple-choice examination. UTokyo applicants are required to take at least seven subjects in this examination. Applicants for natural sciences take two mathematics tests, Japanese, one foreign language, two science subjects chosen from physics, chemistry, biology, and geology, and one social studies subject chosen from geography, Japanese history, or world history. Humanities applicants take two social studies subjects and one science subject instead.^[105]

On the basis of the Common Test scores, approximately three times the number of the final admission slots are invited to take the second-stage examination in late February. In that examination, mathematics, Japanese, and one foreign language are compulsory for all applicants.^[106] Science applicants are examined in advanced mathematics, English, Japanese, and two science subjects, while humanities applicants take mathematics, a foreign language, advanced Japanese, and two social studies subjects. All applicants, including those for the natural sciences, sit for a written examination in Japanese and Chinese classics as part of the Japanese paper. Some applicants are called upon to take an interview.^[107]

Successful candidates are notified in March and are matriculated in April. The published acceptance rate for undergraduate admission is around 30 per cent,^[108] but this figure is calculated only for the second-stage examination, after candidates have already been screened on the basis of Common Test scores.^[109] Moreover, because applicants to national universities in Japan are effectively limited to a single choice in the main admissions round, candidates with little prospect of admission often apply to other institutions instead.^[110]

Junior division

The matriculation ceremony takes place on April 12, the foundation day of the university.^[111] All first-year students are matriculated at the College of Arts and Sciences at Komaba, which is a remnant of the time when the Komaba Campus was a separate university-preparatory boarding school called the First Higher School until 1949.^[112] They spend the first one and a half years of their degrees at Komaba. All students study a foreign language they have not previously studied.^[113] Undergraduates at Komaba face shingaku sentaku (進学選択, or colloquially 進振り, shinfuri) in September of their second year, where they are assigned to departments based on their grades at Komaba.^[114][115]

Senior division

After completing the Shingaku Sentaku, second-year students enter senior-division departments to specialise in their chosen fields. With the exception of the senior division of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Mathematics, which are located in Komaba, all other senior departments are situated in Hongo. Consequently, approximately 85 per cent of the students move to Hongo at this point of their studies.^[121]

Graduation ceremonies take place towards the end of March. Approximately one-third of the graduates enter the workforce upon graduation, while the remainder continue their studies at graduate schools within the university or at universities abroad.^[122] Common destinations include academia, government ministries, major private-sector employers, trading houses, consulting firms, and investment banks..^[123]

International students

As of November 1, 2023, the University of Tokyo hosts 5,106 international students, who represent 17.7 per cent of the total student body. Of these, 4,874 are postgraduate students and 460 are undergraduates. Exchange students and postdoctoral researchers are not included in these numbers.^[124] At the undergraduate level, international students may enter through Japanese-language admissions for students educated overseas, English-medium programmes such as PEAK, or exchange programmes.^{[125][126][127][128]} A wider variety of postgraduate programmes are offered in English,^[129] making the international student ratio significantly higher for postgraduate studies (31.32 per cent in November 2023).^[124]

Starting in Autumn 2027, UTokyo plans to offer a five-year programme called the College of Design. The programme aims to 'redefine design as a broad concept (...) based on interdisciplinary knowledge that integrates the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering and other fields'.^[130] Approximately 100 students will be matriculated annually, with half of them coming from overseas.^[131]

Subject rankings

More information Subject, Global ...

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024[159] Subject Global National Arts & Humanities  =32  1 Linguistics  =24  1 Theology, Divinity and Religious Studies  46  1 Archaeology  24  1 Architecture and Built Environment  15  1 Art and Design  49  1 Classics and Ancient History  42  2 English Language and Literature  37  1 History  12  1 Art History  6  1 Modern Languages  7  1 Philosophy  51–100  1–2 Engineering and Technology  18  1 Engineering – Chemical  15  1 Engineering – Civil and Structural  21  1 Computer Science and Information Systems  =38  1 Engineering – Electrical and Electronic  33  1 Engineering – Petroleum  10  1 Engineering – Mechanical  =21  1 Life Sciences & Medicine  36  1 Agriculture and Forestry  36  1 Anatomy and Physiology  28  1 Biological Sciences  31  1 Medicine  42  1 Nursing  101–150  1 Pharmacy and Pharmacology  41  1 Psychology  =77  1 Veterinary Science  48  1 Natural Sciences  =11  1 Chemistry  15  1 Earth and Marine Sciences  11  1 Environmental Sciences  =31  1 Geography  18  1 Geology  =12  1 Geophysics  =13  1 Materials Sciences  20  1 Mathematics  29  1 Physics and Astronomy  9  1 Social Sciences & Management  35  1 Accounting and Finance  39  1 Anthropology  33  1 Business and Management Studies  =87  1 Communication and Media Studies  51–100  1 Development Studies  =26  1 Economics and Econometrics  33  1 Education and Training  =57  1 Law and Legal Studies  22  1 Politics  =39  1 Social Policy and Administration  =29  1 Sociology  =24  1 Sports–Related Subjects  49  1 Statistics and Operational Research  34  1

THE World University Rankings by Subject 2024[160] Subject Global National Arts & humanities  60  1 Business & economics  =28  1 Clinical & health  30  1 Computer science  33  1 Education  25  1 Engineering  29  1 Life sciences  30  1 Physical sciences  24  1 Psychology  61  1 Social sciences  =40  1 ARWU Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2023[161] Subject Global National Natural Sciences Mathematics  51–75  1–2 Physics  5  1 Chemistry  24  1 Earth Sciences  34  1 Geography  201–300  1 Ecology  201–300  1–2 Oceanography  48  1 Atmospheric Science  38  1 Engineering Mechanical Engineering  151–200  3 Electrical & Electronic Engineering  151–200  1 Automation & Control  47  1 Instruments Science & Technology  101–150  1 Biomedical Engineering  101–150  1–2 Computer Science & Engineering  101–150  1 Civil Engineering  76–100  1 Chemical Engineering  151–200  1 Materials Science & Engineering  76–100  1 Nanoscience & Nanotechnology  101–150  1 Energy Science & Engineering  101–150  1 Environmental Science & Engineering  151–200  1 Water Resources  76–100  1 Biotechnology  151–200  1–2 Transportation Science & Technology  151–200  1–2 Remote Sensing  51–75  1 Metallurgical Engineering  51–75  3–4 Life Sciences Biological Sciences  76–100  4 Human Biological Sciences  151–200  3 Agricultural Sciences  401–500  2–3 Veterinary Sciences  201–300  1–6 Medical Sciences Clinical Medicine  201–300  1 Public Health  201–300  1 Nursing  201–300  1 Medical Technology  301–400  1–6 Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences  101–150  1 Social Sciences Economics  201–300  1 Statistics  101–150  1 Political Sciences  201–300  1–2 Communication  201–300  1 Psychology  201–300  1

Close

Hongo campus

The Hongo campus has been the university's centre since 1884, when the university's administration office relocated to the site. The campus faces Shinobazu Pond in Ueno Park to the east and has in its vicinity the electric district Akihabara, the city's bookshop hub, Jimbōchō, and the city's largest indoor stadium, Tokyo Dome. The campus is served by three Tokyo Metro stations: Hongo-sanchome, Todai-mae, and Nezu.^[163] It occupies the former estate of the Maeda family, Edo period feudal lords of Kaga Province.^[164] One of the university's best known landmarks, Akamon (the Red Gate), is a relic of this era. The symbol of the university is the ginkgo leaf, from the trees found throughout the area. The Hongo campus also hosts UTokyo's annual May Festival.^[165]

• 
  General Library
• 
  Faculty of Medicine Building 2
• 
  Building one, Shared by the Faculties of Law and Letters
• 
  University Hospital
• 
  Engineering Building 3
• 
  Chemistry East Building

Komaba Campus

The Komaba Campus, serving as the educational hub for the first two years of undergraduate studies, provides general education to around 6,000 first and second year students. The campus, also home to the Graduate Schools of Arts, Sciences, and Mathematical Sciences, has advanced research facilities. It also provides specialised education for about 450 senior division undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences and 1,400 graduate students across various disciplines. It is served by Komaba-Todaimae Station on the Keio Inokashira line, which is directly connected to the main gate of the campus.^[163]

• 
  Komaba Campus Building 1
• 
  Auditorium 900
• 
  Main Refectory
• 
  The Institute of Industrial Science
• 
  Research Centre for Advanced Science and Technology
• 
  Campus Plaza

Kashiwa Campus

The Kashiwa Campus specialises in postgraduate education and research. It houses the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences along with advanced research institutes such as the Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, the Institute for Solid State Physics, the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, and the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, equipped with extensive facilities and services.

• 
  The Kashiwa Campus is built on 100 acres of land.
• 
  The institute for Cosmic Ray Research (ICRR), Kasiwa
• 
  A test track for the new generation of railway technology runs across the campus.
• 
  A former Tokyo Metro series 01 coach is used as a railway technology testbed.
• 
  The Kashiwa II Campus (20 acres) houses accommodation and athletic facilities for the students and faculty of the Kashiwa Campus.

Shirokanedai Campus

The relatively small Shirokanedai Campus^[166] hosts the Institute of Medical Science, which is entirely dedicated to postgraduate studies. The institute was originally established by Shibasaburo Kitasato and moved to the current site in Shirokanedai, Minato in 1906. The campus is focused on genome research, including among its research groups the Human Genome Center, which has at its disposal the largest supercomputer in the field.^[167] The main building of the building was designed by Yoshikazu Uchida in a style matching that of the adjacent Institute of Public Health, which is now opened to the public as Minato Local History Museum.^[168]

Other sites

• 
  Koishikawa Botanical Garden, Tokyo
• 
  Norikura Solar Observatory
• 
  Kemigawa Athletic Ground, Chiba
• 
  KAGRA gravitational wave telescope, Gifu
• 
  Yamanaka Seminar House, Yamanashi
• 
  Atacama Observatory, Mount Chajnator, Chile
• 
  Kemigawa Seminar House, Chiba
• 
  Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, Iwate, after the Tsunami of 11 March 2011
• 
  Nikko Botanical Garden, Tochigi
• 
  Tokoro Archaeological Centre, Tokoro, Hokkaido

Law and politics

• Japanese Prime Ministers who attended the University of Tokyo
• 
  Takaaki Kato
• 
  Osachi Hamaguchi
• 
  Shigeru Yoshida
• 
  Ichirō Hatoyama
• 
  Eisaku Sato
• 
  Yasuhiro Nakasone
• 
  Kiichi Miyazawa
• 
  Yukio Hatoyama

The University of Tokyo has educated eighteen prime ministers of Japan: Takashi Hara (dropped out), Earl Takaaki Katō (Law, 1881), Baron Reijirō Wakatsuki (Law, 1892), Osachi Hamaguchi (Law, 1895), Kōki Hirota (Law, 1905), Duke Fumimaro Konoe (Letters, dropped out), Baron Hiranuma Kiichirō (Law, 1888), Baron Kijūrō Shidehara (Law, 1895), Shigeru Yoshida (Law, 1906), Tetsu Katayama (Law, 1912), Hitoshi Ashida (Law, 1912), Ichirō Hatoyama (Law, 1907), Nobusuke Kishi (Law, 1920), Eisaku Satō (Law, 1924), Takeo Fukuda (Law, 1929), Yasuhiro Nakasone (Law, 1941), Kiichi Miyazawa (Law, 1941), Yukio Hatoyama (Engineering, 1969). Eisaku Satō received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974, for his commitment to halting the spread of nuclear arms.^[179]

UTokyo has produced numerous other influential politicians since its establishment. As of December 2023, UTokyo alumni hold 139 seats in the National Diet (the national legislature of Japan), accounting for about a fifth of the total seats.^[22][21] Six members of the cabinet are UTokyo alumni, including the Chief Cabinet Secretary: Yoshimasa Hayashi; Internal Affairs: Takeaki Matsumoto; Justice: Ryuji Koizumi; Foreign Affairs: Yoko Kamikawa; Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology: Masahito Moriyama; and Economy, Trade and Industry: Ken Saito.^[180][181] As of April 2023, 27 out of the 47 incumbent governors of Japanese prefectures have received their undergraduate education at UTokyo.^[23]

UTokyo has produced a large number of distinguished jurists, judges and lawyers. As of February 2024, eleven out of the fifteen incumbent justices of the Supreme Court are UTokyo alumni.^[24] The university is also the alma mater of all four Japanese judges of the International Court of Justice: Kōtarō Tanaka, Shigeru Oda, Hisashi Owada and Yuji Iwasawa. Tomoko Akane has served as the president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) since March 2024.

Sciences, engineering and mathematics

• Scientists and engineers who attended the University of Tokyo
• 
  Kunihiko Kodaira
• 
  Masatoshi Koshiba
• 
  Yoshinori Ohsumi
• 
  Kenzo Tange
• 
  Yoichiro Nambu
• 
  Kiyoshi Ito
• 
  Teiji Takagi
• 
  Ei-ichi Negishi

Nine Nobel-awarded scientists have earned degrees from UTokyo: six in physics (Leo Esaki, Masatoshi Koshiba, Shin'ichirō Tomonaga, Yoichiro Nambu, Takaaki Kajita and Syukuro Manabe), one in chemistry (Ei-ichi Negishi) and two in Physiology or Medicine (Yoshinori Ohsumi and Satoshi Ōmura). Additionally, Kunihiko Kodaira won a Fields Medal, Masaki Kashiwara won a Abel Prize, both often called the 'Nobel Prize for mathematics'. Four architects educated at the Faculty of Engineering have received the Pritzker Architecture Prize: Kenzo Tange, Arata Isozaki, Toyo Ito and Fumihiko Maki.

Other notable UTokyo-educated scientists, engineers, and mathematicians include Kiyoshi Ito, known for his work in probability theory; Hantaro Nagaoka, a pioneer in atomic theory; Yoshio Nishina, who made significant contributions to particle physics; and Teiji Takagi, known for his work in number theory. Yoji Totsuka was an influential figure in neutrino physics. Kikunae Ikeda is credited with discovering umami. Kitasato Shibasaburō discovered the infectious agent of bubonic plague, and Kazuhiko Nishijima contributed to the discovery of the Gell-Mann–Nishijima formula. Hirotugu Akaike developed the Akaike Information Criterion, and Hideo Shima was the chief engineer behind the development of the Shinkansen bullet train. Yuzuru Hiraga was the chief engineer at the Imperial Japanese Navy, then the third-strongest in the world, and Takamine Jōkichi was the first to isolate adrenaline. Akira Fujishima discovered the photocatalytic properties of titanium dioxide, and Tosio Kato made notable contributions to functional analysis. Kenkichi Iwasawa is known for his influence on algebraic number theory. Shun'ichi Amari invented and formulated the recurrent neural network (RNN) for learning.

Business, economics and finance

• Industrialists, economists and central bankers who attended the University of Tokyo
• 
  Kiichiro Toyoda, founder of Toyota
• 
  Namihei Odaira, founder of Hitachi
• 
  Baron Koyata Iwasaki, longest-serving head of Mitsubishi
• 
  Yoshisuke Ayukawa, founder of the Nissan Group
• 
  Viscount Keizo Shibusawa, governor of BoJ
• 
  Kazuo Ueda, governor of BoJ since 2023
• 
  Hirofumi Uzawa, mathematical economist
• 
  Nobuhiro Kiyotaki, New Keynesian economist

Kiichiro Toyoda, an alumnus of the Faculty of Engineering, founded Toyota Motor, the largest car manufacturer in the world and the largest company in Japan by both market capitalisation and revenue.^[18] Namihei Odaira, also an alumnus of the Faculty of Engineering, founded Hitachi, one of the largest electronics conglomerates in the world.^[182] Another UTokyo-educated engineer, Yoshisuke Ayukawa, founded the Nissan Group (zaibatsu),^[183] from which some of Japan's largest companies, such as Nissan, Isuzu, NEC, and SOMPO Holdings, spun off.^[184] Baron Koyata Iwasaki, a member of the founding Iwasaki family of Mitsubishi, was the longest-serving and last head of the group before it was split up by order of the Allied Occupation Forces after the Second World War. Under his leadership, the group's business evolved significantly, and he founded companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nikon. Hiromasa Ezoe, as an educational psychology student at UTokyo in 1961, established Recruit Holdings, the largest human resources company in Japan, which also runs worldwide businesses including Indeed and Glassdoor. UTokyo alumni have held chief executive positions at numerous influential Japanese companies; as of April 2024, companies under the leadership of a UTokyo alumnus include Sony (Kenichiro Yoshida),^[185] MUFG (Hironori Kamezawa)^[186] and Mitsubishi Corp (Katsuya Nakanishi [ja]).^[187] More than half of the governors of the Bank of Japan, the central bank of Japan, have been UTokyo alumni, including the incumbent governor Kazuo Ueda, who previously taught at UTokyo.^[188]

Literature, arts and humanities

• Literary figures who attended the University of Tokyo
• 
  Soseki Natsume
• 
  Ryunosuke Akutagawa
• 
  Junichiro Tanizaki
• 
  Osamu Dazai
• 
  Yukio Mishima
• 
  Kobo Abe
• 
  Yasunari Kawabata
• 
  Kenzaburo Oe

Many notable literary figures have attended the University of Tokyo, two of whom received the Nobel Prize in Literature: Yasunari Kawabata (Known for The Dancing Girl of Izu, Snow Country and The Old Capital) and Kenzaburo Oe (A Personal Matter, The Silent Cry and Death by Water). Other notable UTokyo-educated writers include: Soseki Natsume (I Am a Cat, Botchan, Sanshiro and Kokoro), Ōgai Mori, Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Junichiro Tanizaki, Naoya Shiga, Osamu Dazai, Yukio Mishima, Kobo Abe, Shōyō Tsubouchi, Shinichi Hoshi, Kōyō Ozaki, Jun Takami, Motojiro Kaijii, Shūichi Katō, Kunio Kishida, Hideo Kobayashi, Shigeharu Nakano, Hyakken Uchida, Makoto Oda, Tatsuo Hori, Mari Yonehara and Atsushi Nakajima. Shiki Masaoka is known as the initiator of modern haiku poetry and one of the most celebrated poets in Japanese history.^[189] Other notable UTokyo-educated poets include Mokichi Saito, Nobutsuna Sasaki, Makoto Ōoka, Hōsai Ozaki, Saneatsu Mushanokōji and Tatsuji Miyoshi.

Isao Takahata co-founded Studio Ghibli with Hayao Miyazaki and directed animation films including Grave of the Fireflies, Pom Poko, and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.^[190] Together with Miyazaki, he created animation films such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Laputa: Castle in the Sky. Yoji Yamada directed the film series Otoko wa Tsurai yo and the Samurai Trilogy (The Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade and Love and Honor). Koichi Sugiyama is known for composing the music for Dragon Quest, along with several other famous video games, anime, films, television shows, and pop songs. Wowaka is considered to be a pioneer in the vocaloid music industry, especially Hatsune Miku.^[191] Kunio Yanagita made significant contributions to the preservation and studies of Japanese folklore.^[192] Yanagi Sōetsu initiated the mingei (folk craft) movement, and his contributions made the idea of finding beauty in everyday utilitarian crafts popular. Nam June Paik, a Korean-American media artist, is considered to be the founder of video art.^[193]

Other notable alumni and affiliates

• 
  Masako, Empress of Japan
• 
  Takahito, Prince Mikasa
• 
  Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, King of Nepal
• 
  Duke Iemasa Tokugawa, 17th head of the Tokugawa clan
• 
  Marquess Yoshichika Tokugawa, botanist
• 
  Chie Nakane, Social Anthropologist
• 
  Yahiko Mishima (left), first Japanese national to compete in the Olympics
• 
  Kanō Jigorō, founder of Judo

Masako, Empress of Japan, attended UTokyo after finishing her first degree overseas, although she did not earn a degree from the university. The university's other recent connections with the Imperial family include Takahito, Prince Mikasa, younger brother of Emperor Hirohito, who studied archaeology; Fujimaro, Marquess of Tsukuba, a younger son of Kikumaro, Prince Yamashina, who studied Japanese literature.^[194] Additionally, Crown Prince Fumihito, and his daughter Princess Mako both worked at the University Museum at different times. King Birendra of Nepal also attended UTokyo but did not earn a degree.^[195] UTokyo was a preferred educational institution for members of the Japanese aristocracy before any form of peerage, with the exception of the Imperial family, was prohibited with the 1947 constitution. Duke Iemasa Tokugawa, 17th head of the House of Tokugawa, studied law at the university and led a career as a diplomat. Other members of the clan who attended the university include Marquess Yoshichika Tokugawa, who became active as a botanist and patron of arts and sciences later in his life, and Earl Muneyoshi Tokugawa, who was the primary promoter of forestation movements in Japan. Earl Yoriyasu Arima studied agriculture and later served as the Minister of Agriculture. The Arima Kinen, the world's largest betting horse race, was named in his honour. Marquess Yoshi Hijikata, with his strong communist sympathies, fled to Soviet Russia and was deprived of his title on account of this. Another communist sympathiser among UTokyo's alumni, Hotsumi Ozaki, played a central role in Soviet espionage with Richard Sorge and was executed for high treason in 1944.

Chie Nakane, a social anthropologist, was one of the first nineteen female students matriculated at UTokyo in 1947, and she later became the first female professor in the university's history.^[196] Hidesaburo Ueno, an agricultural scientist who studied and worked at the Faculty of Agriculture, is best known as the owner of the devoted dog Hachiko, who continued to wait for him for more than 9 years. Although the university is not particularly noted for athletics today, beginning with Yahiko Mishima, the first-ever Japanese Olympian who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics, 33 UTokyo students and alumni have competed in the Olympics.^[197] Kusuo Kitamura, later a senior bureaucrat at the Ministry of Labour, won a gold medal in the Men's 1500 metre freestyle swimming in the 1932 Summer Olympics. Judo, now an Olympic sport, was created by Jigoro Kano in 1882, the year he graduated from UTokyo. He was also the central figure in Japan's successful bid to host the 1940 Summer Olympic Games, which had to be cancelled due to the Second World War.^[198]