Japan's Top 2% Scientists 2026

Japan has 5,739 scientists on the 2026 single-year Top 2% list, up 0.5% from 5,713 in 2025. That places Japan 10th in the world by number of listed scientists. The University of Tokyo has the most listed scientists (388), followed by Tohoku University (252).

Single Year

5,739

+26 (+0.5%) vs 2025

Career Data

9,097

+367 (+4.2%) vs 2025

World rank by count

#10

No change vs 2025

Institutes

914

-10 (-1.1%) vs 2025

Scientists in Japan on the list, by year

The single-year count has grown 28% since 2020.

Single-year list, change on the previous year

2021+20.8%

2022+1.5%

2023+3.6%

2024-1.5%

2025+1.9%

2026+0.5%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	4,484		6,316
2021	5,416	+20.8%	7,362	+16.6%
2022	5,496	+1.5%	7,630	+3.6%
2023	5,694	+3.6%	8,126	+6.5%
2024	5,609	-1.5%	8,261	+1.7%
2025	5,713	+1.9%	8,730	+5.7%
2026	5,739	+0.5%	9,097	+4.2%

Top 10 institutes in Japan

By number of listed scientists

Single-year list2026

Show the list

1The University of Tokyo388
2Tohoku University252
3Graduate School of Medicine234
4The University of Osaka186
5Institute of Science Tokyo184
6Hokkaido University137
7Nagoya University123
8Kyushu University122
9Kyoto University120
10National Institute for Materials Science80

All 5,739 scientists

Single-year list2026

Showing the 2026 single-year list. Looking for career rankings? See the career-long list

The first 100 are free to browse.

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Rank in Japan	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	68	KM Kanehisa, Minoru I.	Institute for Chemical Research	Bioinformatics	Rank 2
2	149	AM Awual, Md Rabiul	Japan Atomic Energy Agency	Chemical Engineering	Rank 1
3	190	MN Mizushima, Noboru N.	University of Tokyo	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 5
4	229	Sharifi, Ayyoob	Hiroshima University	Energy	Rank 8
5	238	KM Kudo, Masotoshi	Kindai University School of Medicine	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 3
6	306	TK Tamura, Koichiro	Tokyo Metropolitan University	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 2
7	420	AH Akaike, Hirotsugu	The Institute of Statistical Mathematics	Statistics & Probability	Rank 10
8	430	AS Akira, Shizuo	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, The University of Osaka	Immunology	Rank 12
9	465	TY Tokura, Yoshinori	The University of Tokyo	Applied Physics	Rank 12
10	848	MJ Ma, Jianfeng	Okayama University	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 9
11	859	HH Hosono, Hideo	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Applied Physics	Rank 20
12	924	GJ Gong, Jian Ping	Hokkaido University	Polymers	Rank 7
13	950	Sakaguchi, Shimon	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, The University of Osaka	Immunology	Rank 25
14	1,200	IA Inoue, Akishisa	Josai International University	Materials	Rank 20
15	1,335	KM Kimura, Motoo	National Institute of Genetics Mishima	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 8
16	1,346	TA Togo, Atsushi	National Institute for Materials Science	Applied Physics	Rank 31
17	1,365	RR Reed, Roger C.	Shimane University	Materials	Rank 25
18	1,468	NN Nagaosa, Naoto	RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science	Applied Physics	Rank 33
19	1,511	KK Kario, Kazuomi	Jichi Medical University	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 40
20	1,542	IS Iijima, Sumio	Meijo University	Applied Physics	Rank 37
21	1,567	EM Ezawa, Motohiko	The University of Tokyo	Applied Physics	Rank 39
22	1,643	TY Tanaka, Yoshiya	University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan	Arthritis & Rheumatology	Rank 7
23	1,645	TK Tone, Kaoru	National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies	Operations Research	Rank 10
24	1,879	KY Kanda, Yoshinobu	Jichi Medical University	Immunology	Rank 36
25	2,065	Kitagawa, Susumu	Kyoto University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 17
26	2,069	AK Ariga, Katsuhiko	National Institute for Materials Science	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 67
27	2,075	AC Adachi, Chihaya	Kyushu University	Applied Physics	Rank 53
28	2,152	KT Komori, Toshihisa	Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 30
29	2,158	AM Aziz, Muhammad	Tohoku University	Energy	Rank 53
30	2,218	HK Hashimoto, Kenji	Chiba University	Psychiatry	Rank 48
31	2,252	MK Maeda, Kazuhiko	Institute of Science Tokyo	Organic Chemistry	Rank 21
32	2,307	YS Yamanaka, Shinya	Kyoto University	Developmental Biology	Rank 60
33	2,329	IA Isogai, Akira	The University of Tokyo	Polymers	Rank 13
34	2,369	BK Bliokh, Konstantin	RIKEN (The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research)	General Physics	Rank 22
35	2,405	NS Nosé, Shuichi	Keio University	Chemical Physics	Rank 45
36	2,771	TH Takayanagi, Hiroshi	Graduate School of Medicine	Immunology	Rank 54
37	2,784	ZH Zhou, Haoshen	University of Tsukuba	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 95
38	2,790	MW McDonough, William F.	Tohoku University	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 24
39	2,848	AS Amari, Shunichi	Teikyo University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 162
40	3,117	Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad	Tokai University	Energy	Rank 82
41	3,180	AS Adachi, Sadao	Gunma University	Applied Physics	Rank 73
42	3,248	NS Nagata, Shigekazu	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, The University of Osaka	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 50
43	3,286	KT Kishimoto, Tadamitsu	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, The University of Osaka	Immunology	Rank 65
44	3,312	SR Sharpley, Richard Anthony John	Wakayama University	Sport, Leisure & Tourism	Rank 22
45	3,317	ST Someya, Takao	RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science	Applied Physics	Rank 75
46	3,376	HM Higashiwaki, Masataka	National Institute of Information and Communications Technology	Applied Physics	Rank 76
47	3,408	NS Nojiri, Shin'ichi N.Ichi	High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Tsukuba	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 40
48	3,444	SM Sugiyama, Masashi	Riken	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 192
49	3,515	MH Maeda, Hiroshi	BioDynamics Research Foundation	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 82
50	3,584	KS Komaba, Shinichi	Tokyo University of Science	Energy	Rank 94
51	3,740	OY Ohsumi, Yoshinori	Institute of Science Tokyo	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 58
52	4,050	SK Shitara, Kohei	National Cancer Hospital East	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 100
53	4,080	TD Teixeira da Silva, Jaime A.	Kagawa University	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 36
54	4,104	WK Watanabe, Kenji	National Institute for Materials Science	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 141
55	4,108	TT Taniguchi, Takashi	National Institute for Materials Science	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 142
56	4,179	KM Kuro-O, Makoto	Jichi Medical University	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 28
57	4,211	KG Kojima, Gotaro	Gotaro Kojima Department of Research	Geriatrics	Rank 7
58	4,227	MY Murakami, Yukitaka	Kyushu University	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 34
59	4,340	AH Akagi, Hirofumi	Institute of Science Tokyo	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 14
60	4,411	IP Isola, Phillip J.	Sakana AI	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 236
61	4,422	FT Furukawa, Toshi A.	Kyoto University School of Public Health	Psychiatry	Rank 103
62	4,451	OK Ohno-Matsui, Kyoko	Institute of Science Tokyo	Ophthalmology & Optometry	Rank 9
63	4,477	SH Sakakibara, Hitoshi	RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 38
64	4,570	KM Komatsu, Masaaki	Juntendo University School of Medicine	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 73
65	4,595	KT Kimoto, Tsunenobu	Kyoto University	Applied Physics	Rank 101
66	4,685	KR Kubo, Ryogo	The University of Tokyo	General Physics	Rank 44
67	4,794	OR Ogawa, Rei	Nippon Medical School Hospital	Surgery	Rank 4
68	4,797	Managi, Shunsuke	Kyushu University	Economics	Rank 100
69	4,847	NM Niinomi, Mitsuo	Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University	Materials	Rank 96
70	4,892	IH Iso, Hiroyasu	National Institute of Health Sciences Tokyo	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 143
71	4,926	PC Pickard, Chris J.	Tohoku University	Chemical Physics	Rank 83
72	4,935	TH Tanaka, Hajime	Institute of Industrial Science	General Physics	Rank 47
73	4,962	YA Yamada, Atsuo	The University of Tokyo	Energy	Rank 121
74	5,035	OH Ohno, Hideo	Tohoku University	Applied Physics	Rank 111
75	5,037	EK Edalati, Kaveh	Kyushu University	Materials	Rank 99
76	5,043	TK Tsubota, Kazuo	Tsubota Laboratory, Inc.	Ophthalmology & Optometry	Rank 12
77	5,169	OM Oguri, Masamune	Chiba University	Astronomy & Astrophysics	Rank 40
78	5,251	SM Shibuya, Masabumi	Jobu University	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 133
79	5,291	ME Myers, Eugene Wimberly	Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University	Bioinformatics	Rank 21
80	5,295	SK Shinozaki, Kazuo Y.	RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 46
81	5,310	KK Katoh, Kazutaka	The University of Osaka	Developmental Biology	Rank 129
82	5,315	TY Tominaga, Yoshihide	Niigata Institute of Technology	Building & Construction	Rank 45
83	5,515	KA Kudo, Akihiko	Tokyo University of Science	General Chemistry	Rank 21
84	5,604	TS Tsujikawa, Shinji	Tokyo University of Science	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 63
85	5,624	TK Takanabe, Kazuhiro	The University of Tokyo	Organic Chemistry	Rank 69
86	5,981	SK Saito, Kazuki	RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 56
87	6,028	YM Yamamoto, Masayuki	Tohoku University	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 87
88	6,030	YK Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, Kazuko	Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences The University of Tokyo	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 58
89	6,103	KK Kabashima, Kenji	Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine	Dermatology & Venereal Diseases	Rank 18
90	6,151	HW Hamilton, William D.	Kyushu University	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 46
91	6,316	TS Tsugane, S.	National Institute of Health and Nutrition	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 174
92	6,512	KH Kitano, Hiroaki	Sony AI	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 354
93	6,745	CA Coad, Alex	Waseda University	Business & Management	Rank 213
94	6,757	OY Ogata, Yosihiko	The Institute of Statistical Mathematics	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 76
95	6,803	FK Fukui, Kenichi	Kyoto University	Chemical Physics	Rank 115
96	6,851	KM Katoh, Masaru	M & amp; M Precision Medicine	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 187
97	7,003	NE Niki, Etsuto	University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 100
98	7,071	NM Nangaku, Masaomi	The University of Tokyo Hospital	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 41
99	7,121	TF Tajima, Fumio	The University of Tokyo	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 56
100	7,134	ST Suzuki, Tsutomu	The University of Tokyo	Developmental Biology	Rank 175
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Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2026

Canada8,530 scientists

India6,955 scientists

France5,914 scientists

Netherlands4,888 scientists

Spain4,408 scientists

South Korea4,001 scientists

Explore other countries

Single-year list2026

China37,204 scientists

Hong Kong2,108 scientists

Taiwan1,509 scientists

Macau235 scientists

Saudi Arabia2,688 scientists

Iran2,676 scientists

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Japan are in the 2026 Stanford Top 2% list?

5,739 scientists affiliated with Japan are on the 2026 single-year list, and 9,097 are on the career-long list.

Which institute in Japan has the most Top 2% scientists?

On the 2026 single-year list, The University of Tokyo has the most listed scientists from Japan, with 388. It is followed by Tohoku University with 252.

How has the number of Top 2% scientists in Japan changed since 2020?

On the single-year list, Japan went from 4,484 scientists in 2020 to 5,739 in 2026, a change of +28.0%.

What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?

The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.

What is the official source of this data?

The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.