Japan's Top 2% Scientists 2024

Japan has 5,609 scientists on the 2024 single-year Top 2% list, down 1.5% from 5,694 in 2023. That places Japan 9th in the world by number of listed scientists, down 1 place. The University of Tokyo has the most listed scientists (488), followed by Kyoto University (311).

Single Year

5,609

-85 (-1.5%) vs 2023

Career Data

8,261

+135 (+1.7%) vs 2023

World rank by count

down 1 place vs 2023

Institutes

815

-108 (-11.7%) vs 2023

Scientists in Japan on the list, by year

The single-year count has grown 25% 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%

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

Single-year list2024

Show the list

1The University of Tokyo488
2Kyoto University311
3Tohoku University245
4Osaka University221
5Graduate School of Medicine182
6Kyushu University165
7Hokkaido University158
8Tokyo Institute of Technology131
9Nagoya University128
10National Institute for Materials Science103

All 5,609 scientists

Single-year list2024

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	79	KM Kanehisa, Minoru	Kyoto University	Bioinformatics	Rank 3
2	116	MN Mizushima, Noboru	The University of Tokyo	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 2
3	212	KM Kudo, Masatoshi	Kindai University School of Medicine	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 2
4	225	AS Akira, Shizuo	Osaka University	Immunology	Rank 7
5	306	TK Tamura, Koichiro	Tokyo Metropolitan University	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 3
6	359	AH Akaike, Hirotogu	The Institute of Statistical Mathematics	Statistics & Probability	Rank 9
7	397	TY Tokura, Yoshinori	The University of Tokyo	Applied Physics	Rank 10
8	504	MJ Ma, Jian Feng	Okayama University	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 4
9	758	IS Iijima, Sumio	Meijo University	Applied Physics	Rank 20
10	829	Sakaguchi, Shimon	Osaka University	Immunology	Rank 28
11	854	Sharifi, Ayyoob	Hiroshima University	Energy	Rank 26
12	907	HH Hosono, H.	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Applied Physics	Rank 23
13	985	BJ Baselga, José	AstraZeneca	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 18
14	1,052	GJ Gong, Jian Ping	Hokkaido University	Polymers	Rank 6
15	1,090	EM Ezawa, Motohiko	The University of Tokyo	Applied Physics	Rank 31
16	1,098	AC Adachi, Chihaya	Kyushu University	Applied Physics	Rank 32
17	1,178	TK Tone, Kaoru	National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies	Operations Research	Rank 8
18	1,299	MH Maeda, Hiroshi	BioDynamics Research Foundation	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 28
19	1,302	NN Nagaosa, Naoto	RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science	Applied Physics	Rank 35
20	1,338	KT Komori, Toshihisa	Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 21
21	1,356	YS Yamanaka, Shinya	Kyoto University	Developmental Biology	Rank 41
22	1,357	KM Kimura, Motoo	National Institute of Genetics Mishima	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 7
23	1,511	IA Isogai, Akira	The University of Tokyo	Polymers	Rank 8
24	1,683	KK Kario, Kazuomi	Jichi Medical University	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 44
25	1,731	MK Maeda, Kazuhiko	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Organic Chemistry	Rank 18
26	1,794	Kitagawa, Susumu	Kyoto University	Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry	Rank 6
27	2,008	AS Adachi, Sadao	Gunma University	Applied Physics	Rank 58
28	2,039	HK Hashimoto, Kenji	Chiba University	Psychiatry	Rank 46
29	2,049	KY Kanda, Yoshinobu	Jichi Medical University	Immunology	Rank 49
30	2,061	NS Nosé, Shuichi	Keio University	Chemical Physics	Rank 41
31	2,165	AK Ariga, Katsuhiko	National Institute for Materials Science	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 72
32	2,534	TH Takayanagi, Hiroshi	The University of Tokyo	Immunology	Rank 56
33	2,564	KT Kishimoto, Tadamitsu	Osaka University	Immunology	Rank 57
34	2,585	NS Nojiri, Shin'Ichi	Nagoya University	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 23
35	2,630	BK Bliokh, Konstantin Y.	Riken	General Physics	Rank 21
36	2,786	AH Akagi, Hirofumi	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 11
37	2,815	TY Tanaka, Yoshiya	University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan	Arthritis & Rheumatology	Rank 16
38	2,949	ST Someya, Takao	The University of Tokyo	Applied Physics	Rank 80
39	2,959	SK Shinozaki, Kazuo	Nagoya University	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 27
40	2,960	AS Amari, Shun ichi	Teikyo University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 153
41	3,026	KA Kudo, Akihiko	Tokyo University of Science	General Chemistry	Rank 16
42	3,106	TT Taniguchi, Takashi	National Institute for Materials Science	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 117
43	3,204	KM Kuro-o, Makoto	Jichi Medical University	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 16
44	3,359	OY Ohsumi, Yoshinori	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 61
45	3,367	OH Ohno, Hideo	Tohoku University	Applied Physics	Rank 90
46	3,514	NM Niinomi, Mitsuo	Tohoku University	Materials	Rank 63
47	3,554	TA Togo, Atsushi	National Institute for Materials Science	Applied Physics	Rank 92
48	3,604	FT Furukawa, Toshi A.	Graduate School of Medicine	Psychiatry	Rank 91
49	3,621	KH Kimura, Hideo	Sanyo-Onoda City University	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 69
50	3,623	KM Katoh, Masaru	National Cancer Center Japan	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 102
51	3,646	Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad	Tokai University	Energy	Rank 87
52	3,675	KG Kojima, Gotaro	Gotaro Kojima Department of Research	Geriatrics	Rank 7
53	3,777	TK Tsubota, Kazuo	Keio University School of Medicine	Ophthalmology & Optometry	Rank 8
54	3,888	SM Sugiyama, Masashi	The University of Tokyo	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 190
55	3,981	HM Higashiwaki, Masataka	National Institute of Information and Communications Technology	Applied Physics	Rank 99
56	4,027	KR Kubo, Ryogo	The University of Tokyo	General Physics	Rank 29
57	4,074	SH Sakakibara, Hitoshi	Nagoya University	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 37
58	4,095	WK Watanabe, Kenji	National Institute for Materials Science	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 141
59	4,118	OK Ohno-Matsui, Kyoko	Tokyo Medical and Dental University	Ophthalmology & Optometry	Rank 11
60	4,323	ON Otsu, Nobuyuki	National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 211
61	4,324	TD Teixeira da Silva, Jaime A.	Independent Researcher	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 42
62	4,328	MY Murakami, Y.	Kyushu University	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 43
63	4,389	KH Kim, H. S.	Tohoku University	Materials	Rank 75
64	4,416	KS Komaba, Shinichi	Tokyo University of Science	Energy	Rank 101
65	4,434	TH Tanaka, Hajime	The University of Tokyo	General Physics	Rank 35
66	4,609	SM Shibuya, Masabumi	Jobu University	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 128
67	4,617	TH Tsuji, Hideto	Toyohashi University of Technology	Polymers	Rank 23
68	4,721	HW Hamilton, W. D.	Kyushu University	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 35
69	4,736	FA Fujishima, Akira	Tokyo University of Science	Energy	Rank 111
70	4,840	KM Komatsu, Masaaki	Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 87
71	4,879	Managi, Shunsuke	Kyushu University	Economics	Rank 108
72	4,896	SK Saito, Kazuki	RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 52
73	4,927	YK Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, Kazuko	The University of Tokyo	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 55
74	4,933	TK Takanabe, Kazuhiro	The University of Tokyo	Organic Chemistry	Rank 71
75	5,277	TS Tsujikawa, Shinji	Waseda University	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 53
76	5,294	NE Niki, Etsuo	The University of Tokyo	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 98
77	5,342	KK Katoh, Kazutaka	Osaka University	Developmental Biology	Rank 147
78	5,469	YM Yamamoto, Masayuki	Tohoku University	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 104
79	5,711	HM Haruta, Masatake	Tokyo Metropolitan University	Physical Chemistry	Rank 20
80	5,863	KT Kokubo, Tadashi	Chubu University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 21
81	6,074	KK Kabashima, Kenji	Graduate School of Medicine	Dermatology & Venereal Diseases	Rank 13
82	6,090	NR Noyori, Ryoji	Nagoya University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 82
83	6,092	FK Fukui, Kenichi	Institute for Fundamental Chemistry	Chemical Physics	Rank 111
84	6,186	CA Coad, Alex	Waseda Business School	Business & Management	Rank 189
85	6,390	NM Nangaku, Masaomi	Graduate School of Medicine	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 34
86	6,416	MY Matsuzawa, Yuji	Sumitomo Hospital	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 196
87	6,564	AM Aziz, Muhammad	The University of Tokyo	Energy	Rank 155
88	6,745	SH Shimokawa, Hiroaki	Graduate School of Medicine	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 208
89	6,823	KT Kimoto, Tsunenobu	Kyoto University	Applied Physics	Rank 146
90	6,857	MT Miyasaka, Tsutomu	Toin University of Yokohama	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 222
91	7,080	YN Yabuuchi, Naoaki	Yokohama National University	Energy	Rank 168
92	7,414	MS Murakami, Shuichi	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Applied Physics	Rank 154
93	7,455	ZD Zhao, Dapeng	Tohoku University	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 87
94	7,469	HK Honda, Kenya	Keio University School of Medicine	Immunology	Rank 174
95	7,479	TS Tsugane, Shoichiro	National Cancer Center Japan	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 238
96	7,572	NT Ninomiya, Toshiharu	Kyushu University	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 236
97	7,629	ST Sakurai, Takeshi	University of Tsukuba	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 420
98	7,760	IH Iso, Hiroyasu	National Center for Global Health and Medicine	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 243
99	7,848	SK Shitara, Kohei	National Cancer Center Hospital East	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 248
100	7,874	YA Yoshimura, Akihiko	Keio University School of Medicine	Immunology	Rank 184
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Every year since 2020Single Year and Career Data.

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Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2024

Australia8,032 scientistsin 2024

Italy7,620 scientistsin 2024

France5,781 scientistsin 2024

India5,351 scientistsin 2024

Netherlands4,534 scientistsin 2024

Spain4,008 scientistsin 2024

Explore other countries

Single-year list2024

China27,166 scientistsin 2024

South Korea3,498 scientistsin 2024

Hong Kong1,535 scientistsin 2024

Taiwan1,408 scientistsin 2024

Macau109 scientistsin 2024

Iran2,325 scientistsin 2024

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Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Japan are in the 2024 Stanford Top 2% list?

5,609 scientists affiliated with Japan are on the 2024 single-year list, and 8,261 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2024 single-year list, The University of Tokyo has the most listed scientists from Japan, with 488. It is followed by Kyoto University with 311.

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 5,609 in 2024, a change of +25.1%.

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.