Japan's Top 2% Scientists 2022: Career-Long List

Japan has 7,630 scientists on the 2022 career-long Top 2% list, up 3.6% from 7,362 in 2021. That places Japan 6th in the world by number of listed scientists, down 1 place. The University of Tokyo has the most listed scientists (396), followed by Tohoku University (324).

Single Year

5,496

+80 (+1.5%) vs 2021

Career Data

7,630

+268 (+3.6%) vs 2021

World rank by count

down 1 place vs 2021

Institutes

1,152

+11 (+1.0%) vs 2021

Scientists in Japan on the list, by year

The career-long count has grown 21% since 2020.

Career-long list, change on the previous year

2021+16.6%

2022+3.6%

2023+6.5%

2024+1.7%

2025+5.7%

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%

Top 10 institutes in Japan

By number of listed scientists

Career-long list2022

Show the list

1The University of Tokyo396
2Tohoku University324
3Osaka University278
4Tokyo Institute of Technology221
5Graduate School of Medicine212
6Kyoto University188
7Nagoya University170
8Kyushu University165
9Hokkaido University158
10National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology133

All 7,630 scientists

Career-long list2022

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	20	AS Akira, Shizuo	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University	Immunology	Rank 1
2	53	IS Iijima, Sumio	Meijo University	Applied Physics	Rank 4
3	131	IA Inoue, A.	Josai International University	Materials	Rank 1
4	221	TY Tokura, Yoshinori	The University of Tokyo	Applied Physics	Rank 12
5	259	Sakaguchi, Shimon	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University	Immunology	Rank 19
6	266	MN Mizushima, Noboru	Graduate School of Medicine	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 21
7	288	NS Nagata, Shigekazu	Osaka University	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 22
8	377	KT Kishimoto, Tadamitsu	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University	Immunology	Rank 25
9	516	KM Kimura, Motoo	National Institute of Genetics Mishima	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 5
10	522	NR Noyori, Ryoji	Nagoya University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 15
11	544	HM Haruta, Masatake	Tokyo Metropolitan University	Physical Chemistry	Rank 3
12	555	KS Kobayashi, Shu	The University of Tokyo	Organic Chemistry	Rank 17
13	591	AH Akagi, Hirofumi	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 2
14	602	MY Matsuzawa, Yuji	Sumitomo Hospital	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 30
15	690	MH Maeda, Hiroshi	BioDynamics Research Foundation	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 27
16	784	HH Hosono, Hideo	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Applied Physics	Rank 30
17	786	OH Ohno, Hideo	Tohoku University	Applied Physics	Rank 31
18	816	TM Takeichi, Masatoshi	Riken	Developmental Biology	Rank 57
19	912	KM Kanehisa, Minoru	Institute for Chemical Research	Bioinformatics	Rank 4
20	919	FM Fujita, Makoto	The University of Tokyo	Organic Chemistry	Rank 28
21	1,007	KT Kokubo, Tadashi	Chubu University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 4
22	1,052	IM Irie, Masahiro	Rikkyo University	General Chemistry	Rank 16
23	1,143	AH Akaike, Hirotugu	The Institute of Statistical Mathematics	Statistics & Probability	Rank 10
24	1,152	KA Kudo, Akihiko	Tokyo University of Science	General Chemistry	Rank 18
25	1,335	HN Hirokawa, Nobutaka	Graduate School of Medicine	Developmental Biology	Rank 91
26	1,339	LB Le Bihan, Denis	National Institutes of Natural Sciences - National Institute for Physiological Sciences	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 136
27	1,472	Kitagawa, Susumu	Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences	Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry	Rank 11
28	1,496	NS Nakanishi, Shigetada	Osaka Bioscience Institute	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 85
29	1,558	TK Tamura, Koichiro	Tokyo Metropolitan University	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 23
30	1,616	MK Miyazono, Kohei	Graduate School of Medicine	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 89
31	1,663	SS Shinkai, Seiji	Kyushu University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 50
32	1,849	NS Narumiya, Shuh	Graduate School of Medicine	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 98
33	1,948	AT Ando, Tsuneya	Tokyo Institute of Technology	General Physics	Rank 16
34	1,998	NY Nishizuka, Y.	Kobe University	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 103
35	2,099	AS Amari, Shun ichi	RIKEN Center for Brain Science	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 51
36	2,139	IY Ikada, Yoshito	Kyoto University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 9
37	2,198	KM Kudo, Masatoshi	Kindai University School of Medicine	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 37
38	2,224	AC Adachi, Chihaya	Kyushu University	Applied Physics	Rank 80
39	2,300	MJ Ma, Jian Feng	Okayama University	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 15
40	2,331	SM Shibuya, Masabumi	Jobu University	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 104
41	2,415	FA Fujishima, Akira	Tokyo University of Science	Energy	Rank 24
42	2,477	MN Miyaura, Norio	Hokkaido University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 69
43	2,522	DG Decher, Gero	National Institute for Materials Science	Chemical Physics	Rank 83
44	2,530	KK Kataoka, Kazunori	Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion	Polymers	Rank 12
45	2,531	OY Ohsumi, Yoshinori	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 134
46	2,601	KT Kadowaki, Takashi	Toranomon Hospital	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 93
47	2,602	TY Tsujimoto, Yoshihide	Osaka International Cancer Institute	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 139
48	2,646	NN Nagaosa, Naoto	Riken	Applied Physics	Rank 95
49	2,700	NE Niki, Etsuo	University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 145
50	2,738	TT Taniguchi, Tadatsugu	University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology	Immunology	Rank 111
51	2,751	KH Kitano, Hiroaki	Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 64
52	2,789	MK Maeda, Kazuhiko	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Organic Chemistry	Rank 80
53	2,878	TK Takeda, Kiyoshi	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University	Immunology	Rank 119
54	3,010	TH Tanaka, Hajime	University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology	General Physics	Rank 24
55	3,015	HA Harada, Akira	Osaka University	Polymers	Rank 17
56	3,165	SK Shinozaki, Kazuo	Riken	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 22
57	3,178	SA Suzuki, Akira	Hokkaido University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 92
58	3,257	KT Katsuki, Tsutomu	Kyushu University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 95
59	3,335	MK Morokuma, Keiji	Fukui Institute for Fundamental Chemistry	Chemical Physics	Rank 102
60	3,389	ST Sakurai, Takeshi	University of Tsukuba	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 328
61	3,465	ST Sugimura, Takashi	National Cancer Center Research Institute	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 152
62	3,730	TY Tabata, Yasuhiko	Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 17
63	3,829	YN Yamazoe, Noboru	Kyushu University	Analytical Chemistry	Rank 15
64	3,858	UK Uchida, Koji	Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences The University of Tokyo	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 204
65	3,862	AS Adachi, Sadao	Gunma University	Applied Physics	Rank 121
66	3,867	YM Yanagisawa, Masashi	University of Tsukuba	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 361
67	3,985	MA Miyawaki, Atsushi	RIKEN Center for Brain Science	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 215
68	3,987	TH Tsuji, Hideto	Toyohashi University of Technology	Polymers	Rank 25
69	3,991	HS Hirohashi, Setsuo	National Cancer Center Research Institute	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 180
70	4,002	TK Tsubota, Kazuo	Keio University School of Medicine	Ophthalmology & Optometry	Rank 18
71	4,005	YA Yoshimura, Akihiko	Keio University School of Medicine	Immunology	Rank 165
72	4,037	TK Tanaka, Keiji	Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 217
73	4,042	SH Shimokawa, Hiroaki	Graduate School of Medicine	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 206
74	4,063	HT Honjo, Tasuku	Graduate School of Medicine	Immunology	Rank 170
75	4,104	TM Taketo, Makoto M.	Kyoto University Hospital	Developmental Biology	Rank 227
76	4,108	OH Ohno, Hiroyuki	Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology	Polymers	Rank 29
77	4,110	HT Hirano, Toshio	Osaka University	Immunology	Rank 172
78	4,157	MT Minami, Tadatsugu	Kanazawa Institute of Technology	Applied Physics	Rank 130
79	4,159	MM Makuuchi, Masatoshi	Japanese Red Cross Medical Center	Surgery	Rank 18
80	4,258	ŌS Ōmura, Satoshi	Kitasato University	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 8
81	4,417	TH Takayanagi, Hiroshi	Graduate School of Medicine	Immunology	Rank 185
82	4,447	KY Kawaoka, Yoshihiro	The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo	Virology	Rank 22
83	4,611	NS Nojiri, Shin'Ichi	Nagoya University	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 61
84	4,636	KT Kato, Takashi	The University of Tokyo	Polymers	Rank 33
85	4,661	KM Kawato, Mitsuo	Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR)	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 428
86	4,821	ON Otsu, Nobuyuki	National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 99
87	4,851	MK Mikoshiba, Katsuhiko	RIKEN Center for Brain Science	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 445
88	4,975	KM Katoh, Masaru	National Cancer Center Japan	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 228
89	5,027	KT Komori, Toshihisa	Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 254
90	5,046	MN Murata, Norio	National Institutes of Natural Sciences - National Institute for Basic Biology	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 35
91	5,076	KM Kuro-o, Makoto	Jichi Medical University	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 42
92	5,127	DT Dietl, Tomasz	Tohoku University	Applied Physics	Rank 149
93	5,179	SM Shibasaki, Masakatsu	Microbial Chemistry Research Center	Organic Chemistry	Rank 123
94	5,200	KJ Kirschvink, Joseph L.	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 51
95	5,226	OH Okano, Hideyuki	Keio University School of Medicine	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 469
96	5,255	NT Nakamura, T.	Graduate School of Medicine	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 268
97	5,296	FM Fukugita, Masataka	The University of Tokyo	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 77
98	5,316	HW Hamilton, W. D.	Kyushu University	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 76
99	5,318	AK Ariga, Katsuhiko	National Institute for Materials Science	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 88
100	5,324	TS Tanabe, Shinsuke	Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 22
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Countries with a similar count

Career-long list2022

Germany10,562 scientistsin 2022

Canada8,473 scientistsin 2022

China7,693 scientistsin 2022

Australia6,623 scientistsin 2022

France6,284 scientistsin 2022

Italy5,302 scientistsin 2022

Explore other countries

Career-long list2022

South Korea1,901 scientistsin 2022

Taiwan1,601 scientistsin 2022

Hong Kong1,099 scientistsin 2022

Macau48 scientistsin 2022

India2,206 scientistsin 2022

Israel1,958 scientistsin 2022

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Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Japan are in the 2022 Stanford Top 2% list?

5,496 scientists affiliated with Japan are on the 2022 single-year list, and 7,630 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2022 career-long list, The University of Tokyo has the most listed scientists from Japan, with 396. It is followed by Tohoku University with 324.

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

On the career-long list, Japan went from 6,316 scientists in 2020 to 7,630 in 2022, a change of +20.8%.

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.