Japan's Top 2% Scientists 2026: Career-Long List

Japan has 9,097 scientists on the 2026 career-long Top 2% list, up 4.2% from 8,730 in 2025. That places Japan 6th in the world by number of listed scientists. The University of Tokyo has the most listed scientists (457), followed by Tohoku University (380).

Single Year

5,739

+26 (+0.5%) vs 2025

Career Data

9,097

+367 (+4.2%) vs 2025

World rank by count

No change vs 2025

Institutes

1,447

+34 (+2.4%) vs 2025

Scientists in Japan on the list, by year

The career-long count has grown 44% 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%

2026+4.2%

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

Career-long list2026

Show the list

1The University of Tokyo457
2Tohoku University380
3The University of Osaka325
4Institute of Science Tokyo299
5Graduate School of Medicine227
6Kyoto University226
7Kyushu University206
8Hokkaido University190
9Nagoya University187
10National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology142

All 9,097 scientists

Career-long list2026

Showing the 2026 career-long list. Looking for single-year rankings? See the single-year 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	27	AS Akira, Shizuo	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, The University of Osaka	Immunology	Rank 1
2	78	IS Iijima, Sumio	Meijo University	Applied Physics	Rank 5
3	166	IA Inoue, Akishisa	Josai International University	Materials	Rank 1
4	214	TY Tokura, Yoshinori	The University of Tokyo	Applied Physics	Rank 11
5	237	MN Mizushima, Noboru N.	University of Tokyo	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 14
6	302	Sakaguchi, Shimon	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, The University of Osaka	Immunology	Rank 18
7	396	NS Nagata, Shigekazu	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, The University of Osaka	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 25
8	401	KM Kanehisa, Minoru I.	Institute for Chemical Research	Bioinformatics	Rank 2
9	471	KT Kishimoto, Tadamitsu	WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, The University of Osaka	Immunology	Rank 25
10	652	KM Kimura, Motoo	National Institute of Genetics Mishima	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 6
11	678	HH Hosono, Hideo	Tokyo Institute of Technology	Applied Physics	Rank 27
12	698	KM Kudo, Masotoshi	Kindai University School of Medicine	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 12
13	765	NR Noyori, Ryoji	Japan Science and Technology Agency	Organic Chemistry	Rank 18
14	768	AH Akagi, Hirofumi	Institute of Science Tokyo	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 3
15	770	HM Haruta, Masatake	Tokyo Metropolitan University	Physical Chemistry	Rank 3
16	809	MH Maeda, Hiroshi	BioDynamics Research Foundation	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 29
17	818	KS Kobayashi, Shū	The University of Tokyo	Organic Chemistry	Rank 23
18	906	MY Matsuzawa, Yuji	Sumitomo Hospital	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 48
19	978	OH Ohno, Hideo	Tohoku University	Applied Physics	Rank 35
20	1,082	AH Akaike, Hirotsugu	The Institute of Statistical Mathematics	Statistics & Probability	Rank 11
21	1,132	YS Yamanaka, Shinya	Kyoto University	Developmental Biology	Rank 68
22	1,246	FM Fujita, Makoto	The University of Tokyo	Organic Chemistry	Rank 36
23	1,269	TK Tamura, Koichiro	Tokyo Metropolitan University	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 14
24	1,299	KT Kokubo, Tadashi	Chubu University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 4
25	1,327	IM Irie, Mashiro	Rikkyo University	General Chemistry	Rank 16
26	1,365	TM Takeichi, Masatoshi	RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research	Developmental Biology	Rank 82
27	1,373	AM Awual, Md Rabiul	Japan Atomic Energy Agency	Chemical Engineering	Rank 4
28	1,387	Kitagawa, Susumu	Kyoto University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 40
29	1,388	MJ Ma, Jianfeng	Okayama University	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 8
30	1,479	KA Kudo, Akihiko	Tokyo University of Science	General Chemistry	Rank 19
31	1,684	AC Adachi, Chihaya	Kyushu University	Applied Physics	Rank 60
32	1,719	AS Amari, Shunichi	Teikyo University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 49
33	1,879	HN Hirokawa, Nobutaka	Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine	Developmental Biology	Rank 109
34	2,132	NN Nagaosa, Naoto	RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science	Applied Physics	Rank 75
35	2,388	MK Maeda, Kazuhiko	Institute of Science Tokyo	Organic Chemistry	Rank 61
36	2,468	SM Shibuya, Masabumi	Jobu University	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 95
37	2,480	NS Nakanishi, Shigetada	Osaka Bioscience Institute	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 100
38	2,612	SS Shinkai, Seiji S.	Kyushu University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 68
39	2,665	AT Ando, Tsuneya	Institute of Science Tokyo	General Physics	Rank 20
40	2,673	NS Narumiya, Shuh	Graduate School of Medicine	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 107
41	2,686	IY Ikada, Yoshito	Nara Medical University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 13
42	2,717	KH Kitano, Hiroaki	Sony AI	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 77
43	2,759	AK Ariga, Katsuhiko	National Institute for Materials Science	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 68
44	2,835	TH Tanaka, Hajime	Institute of Industrial Science	General Physics	Rank 21
45	2,853	YY Yamamoto, Yoshinori	Tohoku University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 75
46	2,870	OY Ohsumi, Yoshinori	Institute of Science Tokyo	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 114
47	2,899	MW McDonough, William F.	Tohoku University	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 23
48	2,942	AS Adachi, Sadao	Gunma University	Applied Physics	Rank 90
49	2,963	NE Niki, Etsuto	University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 118
50	3,044	KT Kadowaki, Takahashi	Graduate School of Medicine	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 99
51	3,090	GJ Gong, Jian Ping	Hokkaido University	Polymers	Rank 15
52	3,227	KK Kataoka, Kazunori	Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion	Polymers	Rank 16
53	3,264	NY Nishizuka, Yasutomi	Kobe University	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 128
54	3,279	TK Tsubota, Kazuo	Tsubota Laboratory, Inc.	Ophthalmology & Optometry	Rank 16
55	3,325	KK Kario, Kazuomi	Jichi Medical University	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 160
56	3,346	MN Miyaura, Norio	Hokkaido University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 84
57	3,368	HK Hashimoto, Kenji	Chiba University	Psychiatry	Rank 110
58	3,489	SK Shinozaki, Kazuo Y.	RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 24
59	3,518	TK Takeda, Kiyoshi	The University of Osaka	Immunology	Rank 130
60	3,657	TH Takayanagi, Hiroshi	Graduate School of Medicine	Immunology	Rank 134
61	3,705	HA Harada, Akira	The University of Osaka	Polymers	Rank 18
62	3,717	TY Tsujimoto, Yoshihide	Osaka International Cancer Institute	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 155
63	3,745	SH Shimokawa, Hiroaki	Tohoku University	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 183
64	3,788	ST Sakurai, Takeshi	Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 319
65	3,852	KT Komori, Toshihisa	Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 161
66	3,919	TT Taniguchi, Tadatsugu	University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology	Immunology	Rank 148
67	3,985	SB Siesjô, Bbo K.	Nara Medical University	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 339
68	4,016	TY Tabata, Yasuhiko	Kyoto University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 19
69	4,024	SA Suzuki, Akira	Hokkaido University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 100
70	4,146	NS Nojiri, Shin'ichi N.Ichi	High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Tsukuba	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 54
71	4,159	TH Tsuji, Hideto	Toyohashi University of Technology	Polymers	Rank 23
72	4,175	FA Fujishima, Akira	Tokyo University of Science	Energy	Rank 51
73	4,204	EM Ezawa, Motohiko	The University of Tokyo	Applied Physics	Rank 117
74	4,262	OH Okano, Hideyuki	Keio University	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 362
75	4,327	KR Kraichnan, Robert H.	Nagoya Institute of Technology	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 32
76	4,396	ME Myers, Eugene Wimberly	Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University	Bioinformatics	Rank 17
77	4,428	ON Otsu, Nobuyuki	National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 119
78	4,488	YA Yoshimura, Akihiko	Tokyo University of Science	Immunology	Rank 168
79	4,545	KM Kuro-O, Makoto	Jichi Medical University	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 36
80	4,565	MM Makuuchi, Masatoshi	Koto Hospital	Surgery	Rank 18
81	4,612	YH Yamamoto, Hisashi	Nagoya University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 115
82	4,628	YN Yamazoe, Noboru	Kyushu University	Analytical Chemistry	Rank 15
83	4,690	OH Ohno, Hiroyuki	Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology	Polymers	Rank 30
84	4,708	KT Katsuki, Tsutomu	Kyushu University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 118
85	4,721	ŌS Ōmura, Satoshi	Kitasato University	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 10
86	4,748	MA Miyawaki, Atshushi	RIKEN Center for Brain Science	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 198
87	4,807	KM Katoh, Masaru	M & amp; M Precision Medicine	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 201
88	4,817	TK Tanaka, Kazuyoshi	Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 203
89	4,914	IA Isogai, Akira	The University of Tokyo	Polymers	Rank 32
90	4,937	UK Uchida, Koji	Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences The University of Tokyo	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 209
91	4,947	OS Oyama, S. Ted	The University of Tokyo	Physical Chemistry	Rank 20
92	4,958	KM Kawato, Mitsuo	Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR)	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 416
93	5,017	KY Kawaoka, Yoshihiro K.	The University of Tokyo	Virology	Rank 20
94	5,216	KY Kanda, Yoshinobu	Jichi Medical University	Immunology	Rank 198
95	5,245	HT Hirano, Toshino	The University of Osaka	Immunology	Rank 199
96	5,261	RR Reed, Roger C.	Shimane University	Materials	Rank 62
97	5,308	KT Kato, Takashi	The University of Tokyo	Polymers	Rank 36
98	5,309	SK Saito, Kazuki	RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 41
99	5,464	ZH Zhou, Haoshen	University of Tsukuba	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 107
100	5,505	ST Sügimura, Takashi	National Cancer Center Research Institute	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 230
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Countries with a similar count

Career-long list2026

China14,583 scientists

Germany12,809 scientists

Canada10,063 scientists

Australia8,551 scientists

France7,613 scientists

Italy7,363 scientists

Explore other countries

Career-long list2026

South Korea2,889 scientists

Taiwan2,025 scientists

Hong Kong1,619 scientists

Macau135 scientists

India3,898 scientists

Israel2,293 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 career-long list, The University of Tokyo has the most listed scientists from Japan, with 457. It is followed by Tohoku University with 380.

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 9,097 in 2026, a change of +44.0%.

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.