Tōhoku University Tops Japanese Higher Education Ranking for Fifth Consecutive Time
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Tōhoku University ranked first overall in the World University Rankings Japan 2025, compiled by the British magazine Times Higher Education, topping the list for the fifth consecutive year that rankings were published (there were no rankings in 2024). In second place was the Tokyo Institute of Technology (now the Institute of Science Tokyo after merging with Tokyo Medical and Dental University in October), while the University of Tokyo fell to third place. Japan’s former imperial universities continue to have a strong presence in the academic world, with seven of them among the eight most highly regarded institutions. Akita International University rose five places from 2023 to tenth in the ranking. Only three private universities were ranked in the top 20.
Benesse Corporation cooperated in the Japanese university ranking, which compared universities according to 16 performance indicators for four main areas, or “pillars”: resources, engagement, outcomes, and environment.
The breakdown for each of the main areas in the ranking shows that national universities, and particularly former imperial universities, ranked high in the areas of “resources” and “outcomes.” However, they scored less well in the area of “environment,” which considers the ratio of international professors and students, with Tōhoku University the highest-ranking national university in twelfth position.
Top 10 Japanese Universities for Resources
| Rank (2023 rank) | University |
|---|---|
| 1 (1) | Tokyo Medical and Dental University |
| 2 (4) | Hamamatsu University School of Medicine |
| 2 (2) | University of Tokyo |
| 4 (3) | Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine |
| 5 (―) | Nara Medical University |
| 5 (7) | Tokyo Medical University |
| 7 (5) | Tōhoku University |
| 8 (6) | Kyoto University |
| 9 (10) | Aichi Medical University |
| 10 (11) | Nippon Medical School |
Created by Nippon.com based on data from Times Higher Education.
Top 10 Japanese Universities for Engagement
| Rank (2023 rank) | University |
|---|---|
| 1 (1) | International Christian University |
| 2 (2) | Akita International University |
| 3 (3) | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University |
| 4 (6) | Tokyo Institute of Technology |
| 5 (4) | Hitotsubashi University |
| 6 (10) | Kyūshū University |
| 7 (7) | University of Tokyo |
| 8 (9) | Tōhoku University |
| 9 (5) | Kanda University of International Studies |
| 9 (12) | Tsukuba University |
Created by Nippon.com based on data from Times Higher Education.
Top 10 Japanese Universities for Outcomes
| Rank (2023 rank) | University |
|---|---|
| 1 (1) | Kyoto University |
| 2 (4) | Kyūshū University |
| 3 (6) | Hokkaidō University |
| 4 (2) | Tōhoku University |
| 5 (3) | Nagoya University |
| 6 (5) | Osaka University |
| 7 (8) | Tokyo Institute of Technology |
| 8 (9) | Keiō University |
| 8 (7) | University of Tokyo |
| 10 (9) | Waseda University |
Created by Nippon.com based on data from Times Higher Education.
Top 10 Japanese Universities for Environment
| Rank (2023 rank) | University |
|---|---|
| 1 (12) | Akita International University |
| 2 (1) | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University |
| 3 (2) | International Christian University |
| 4 (3) | Osaka Jogakuin University |
| 5 (4) | Kansai Gaidai University |
| 6 (5) | Miyazaki International University |
| 7 (8) | Sophia University |
| 8 (6) | Sōka University |
| 9 (10) | Fukuoka Women’s University |
| 10 (7) | Kyoto University of Foreign Studies |
Created by Nippon.com based on data from Times Higher Education.
(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: The Kawauchi campus of Tōhoku University. © Pixta.)