Japan's Top 2% Scientists 2025: Career-Long List

Japan has 8,730 scientists on the 2025 career-long Top 2% list, up 5.7% from 8,261 in 2024. That places Japan 6th in the world by number of listed scientists. The University of Tokyo has the most listed scientists (450), followed by Tohoku University (360).

Single Year

5,713

+104 (+1.9%) vs 2024

Career Data

8,730

+469 (+5.7%) vs 2024

World rank by count

No change vs 2024

Institutes

1,413

+187 (+15.3%) vs 2024

Scientists in Japan on the list, by year

The career-long count has grown 38% 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 list2025

Show the list

1The University of Tokyo450
2Tohoku University360
3The University of Osaka302
4Institute of Science Tokyo285
5Kyoto University231
6Kyushu University199
7Graduate School of Medicine198
8Nagoya University181
9Hokkaido University179
10National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology134

All 8,730 scientists

Career-long list2025

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	26	AS Akira, Shizuo	The University of Osaka	Immunology	Rank 1
2	69	IS Iijima, Sumio	Meijo University	Applied Physics	Rank 5
3	153	IA Inoue, Akishisa	Josai International University	Materials	Rank 1
4	215	TY Tokura, Yoshinori	The University of Tokyo	Applied Physics	Rank 11
5	233	MN Mizushima, Noboru N.	Faculty of Medicine	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 14
6	277	BJ Baselga, José M.	Kindai University School of Medicine	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 14
7	285	Sakaguchi, Shimon	Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences	Immunology	Rank 18
8	375	NS Nagata, Shigekazu	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, The University of Osaka	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 24
9	430	KT Kishimoto, Tadamitsu	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, The University of Osaka	Immunology	Rank 25
10	472	KM Kanehisa, Minoru I.	Institute for Chemical Research	Bioinformatics	Rank 3
11	613	KM Kimura, Motoo	National Institute of Genetics Mishima	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 6
12	668	AH Akagi, Hirofumi	Institute of Science Tokyo	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 3
13	675	NR Noyori, Ryoji	Japan Science and Technology Agency	Organic Chemistry	Rank 17
14	681	HH HOSONO, Hideo	Institute of Science Tokyo	Applied Physics	Rank 27
15	690	HM Haruta, Masatake	Tokyo Metropolitan University	Physical Chemistry	Rank 3
16	714	KS Kobayashi, Shū	The University of Tokyo	Organic Chemistry	Rank 19
17	729	MH Maeda, Hiroshi	BioDynamics Research Foundation	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 26
18	826	MY Matsuzawa, Yuji	Sumitomo Hospital	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 47
19	915	OH Ohno, Hideo	Tohoku University	Applied Physics	Rank 34
20	928	KM Kudo, Masatoshi	Kindai University School of Medicine	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 14
21	1,031	AH Akaike, Hirotsugu	The Institute of Statistical Mathematics	Statistics & Probability	Rank 9
22	1,053	RT Russell, Thomas P.	Tohoku University	Polymers	Rank 8
23	1,092	YS Yamanaka, Shinya	Kyoto University	Developmental Biology	Rank 67
24	1,159	FM Fujita, Makoto	The University of Tokyo	Organic Chemistry	Rank 33
25	1,189	KT Kokubo, Tadashi	Chubu University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 4
26	1,194	TM Takeichi, Masatoshi	RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research	Developmental Biology	Rank 75
27	1,276	IM Irie, Mashiro	Rikkyo University	General Chemistry	Rank 16
28	1,341	TK Tamura, Koichiro	Tokyo Metropolitan University	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 18
29	1,351	KA Kudo, Akihiko	Tokyo University of Science	General Chemistry	Rank 17
30	1,373	Kitagawa, Susumu	Kyoto University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 41
31	1,487	MJ Ma, Jian Feng	Okayama University	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 8
32	1,701	AC Adachi, Chihaya	Kyushu University	Applied Physics	Rank 63
33	1,711	HN Hirokawa, Nobutaka	Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine	Developmental Biology	Rank 103
34	1,801	AS Amari, Shunichi	Teikyo University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 51
35	1,978	MK Miyazono, Kohei	Graduate School of Medicine	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 84
36	2,172	NN Nagaosa, Naoto	RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science	Applied Physics	Rank 76
37	2,212	NS Nakanishi, Shigetada	Osaka Bioscience Institute	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 95
38	2,327	SS Shinkai, Seiji S.	Kyushu University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 63
39	2,379	MK Maeda, Kazuhiko	Institute of Science Tokyo	Organic Chemistry	Rank 68
40	2,443	JT Jessell, Thomas M.	The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 225
41	2,448	NS Narumiya, Shuh	Graduate School of Medicine	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 103
42	2,462	SM Shibuya, Masabumi	Jobu University	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 99
43	2,488	IY Ikada, Yoshito	Nara Medical University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 12
44	2,500	AT Ando, Tsuneya	Institute of Science Tokyo	General Physics	Rank 17
45	2,615	YY Yamamoto, Yoshinori	Tohoku University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 72
46	2,705	OY Ohsumi, Yoshinori	Institute of Science Tokyo	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 116
47	2,758	KH Kitano, Hiroaki	Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc.	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 78
48	2,827	NE Niki, Etsuto	University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 121
49	2,842	KT Kadowaki, Takahashi	Graduate School of Medicine	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 95
50	2,858	NY Nishizuka, Yasutomi	Kobe University	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 123
51	2,927	MW McDonough, William F.	Tohoku University	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 24
52	2,976	KK Kataoka, Kazunori	Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion	Polymers	Rank 15
53	2,997	TH Tanaka, Hajime	Institute of Industrial Science	General Physics	Rank 21
54	3,029	MN Miyaura, Norio	Hokkaido University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 78
55	3,153	AS Adachi, Sadao	Gunma University	Applied Physics	Rank 99
56	3,160	AK Ariga, Katsuhiko	National Institute for Materials Science	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 72
57	3,203	GL Greer, Lindsay Lindsay	Tohoku University	Materials	Rank 38
58	3,299	SK Shinozaki, Kazuo Y.	RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 23
59	3,300	TK Takeda, Kiyoshi	The University of Osaka	Immunology	Rank 125
60	3,392	TY Tsujimoto, Yoshihide	Osaka International Cancer Institute	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 148
61	3,443	TK Tsubota, Kazuo	Tsubota Laboratory, Inc.	Ophthalmology & Optometry	Rank 16
62	3,448	HA Harada, Akira	The University of Osaka	Polymers	Rank 18
63	3,537	TT Taniguchi, Tadatsugu	University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology	Immunology	Rank 135
64	3,551	GJ Gong, Jian Ping	Hokkaido University	Polymers	Rank 19
65	3,563	SB Siesjô, Bbo K.	Nara Medical University	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 309
66	3,611	HK Hashimotoa, Kenji	Chiba University	Psychiatry	Rank 116
67	3,675	TH Takayanagi, Hiroshi	Graduate School of Medicine	Immunology	Rank 138
68	3,682	ST Sakurai, Takeshi	University of Tsukuba	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 319
69	3,736	SA Suzuki, Akira	Hokkaido University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 96
70	3,819	KK Kario, Kazuomi	Jichi Medical University	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 190
71	3,822	SH Shimokawa, Hiroaki	Tohoku University	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 191
72	3,901	TY Tabata, Yasuhiko	Kyoto University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 18
73	3,917	KT Komori, Toshihisa	Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 177
74	3,929	TH Tsuji, Hideto	Toyohashi University of Technology	Polymers	Rank 23
75	4,074	KR Kraichnan, Robert H.	Nagoya Institute of Technology	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 29
76	4,157	NS Nojiri, Shin'ichi N.Ichi	Nagoya University	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 54
77	4,175	OH Okano, Hideyuki	Keio University	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 363
78	4,244	YA Yoshimura, Akihiko	Kyushu University	Immunology	Rank 163
79	4,355	KT Katsuki, Tsutomu	Kyushu University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 111
80	4,360	YH Yamamoto, Hisashi	Nagoya University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 112
81	4,423	MM Makuuchi, Masatoshi	Koto Hospital	Surgery	Rank 18
82	4,430	YN Yamazoe, Noboru	Kyushu University	Analytical Chemistry	Rank 15
83	4,445	ME Myers, Eugene Wimberly	Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University	Bioinformatics	Rank 17
84	4,504	MA Miyawaki, Atshushi	RIKEN Center for Brain Science	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 200
85	4,559	ŌS Ōmura, Satoshi	Kitasato University	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 10
86	4,564	OH Ohno, Hiroyuki	Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology	Polymers	Rank 28
87	4,577	UK Uchida, Koji	Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences The University of Tokyo	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 203
88	4,594	ON Otsu, Nobuyuki	National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 115
89	4,628	TK Tanaka, Kazuyoshi	Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 206
90	4,637	EM Ezawa, Motohiko	The University of Tokyo	Applied Physics	Rank 126
91	4,690	KM Kuro-O, Makoto	Jichi Medical University	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 37
92	4,743	KM Katoh, Masaru	M & amp; M Precision Medicine	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 197
93	4,802	HT Hirano, Toshino	The University of Osaka	Immunology	Rank 186
94	4,829	OS Oyama, S. Ted	The University of Tokyo	Physical Chemistry	Rank 19
95	4,868	KM Kawato, Mitsuo	Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR)	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 414
96	4,883	KY Kawaoka, Yoshihiro K.	The University of Tokyo	Virology	Rank 19
97	5,013	ST Sügimura, Takashi	National Cancer Center Research Institute	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 215
98	5,071	HT Honjo, Tasuku	Kyoto University	Immunology	Rank 195
99	5,086	IA Isogai, Akira	The University of Tokyo	Polymers	Rank 34
100	5,140	YM Yanagisawa, Masashi M.	Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 436
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Every year since 2020Single Year and Career Data.

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Countries with a similar count

Career-long list2025

China12,375 scientists

Germany12,166 scientists

Canada9,589 scientists

Australia8,025 scientists

France7,284 scientists

Italy6,839 scientists

Explore other countries

Career-long list2025

South Korea2,620 scientists

Taiwan1,898 scientists

Hong Kong1,482 scientists

Macau111 scientists

India3,371 scientists

Israel2,204 scientists

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Japan are in the 2025 Stanford Top 2% list?

5,713 scientists affiliated with Japan are on the 2025 single-year list, and 8,730 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2025 career-long list, The University of Tokyo has the most listed scientists from Japan, with 450. It is followed by Tohoku University with 360.

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 8,730 in 2025, a change of +38.2%.

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.