Science Explorer Interactive view Map
Domain · Physical Sciences · Japan

Physical Sciences research in Japan

The University of Tokyo ranks first in Japan for Physical Sciences research in 2022–2025 (#52 worldwide), followed by Kyoto University and National Institute for Materials Science.

Japan's world rank
#10
of 157 countries, 2022–2025
Works, 2022–2025
235k
Top-10% rate
9.7%
Ranked institutions
60

Research strength only: this says nothing about teaching, admissions or cost.

What is the best university for Physical Sciences in Japan?

#InstitutionWorld rankScoreTop-10% rateWorks
1The University of TokyoTokyo #5258.214.9%14,166
2Kyoto UniversityKyoto #12149.314.3%7,986
3National Institute for Materials ScienceTsukuba #12748.813.4%3,114
4Tohoku UniversitySendai #14047.812.9%8,220
5Nagoya UniversityNagoya #29639.911.8%5,286
6The University of OsakaOsaka #33438.610.6%6,903
7Hokkaido UniversitySapporo #43335.811.7%4,835
8Kyushu UniversityFukuoka #45135.412.5%6,224
9Tokyo Institute of TechnologyTokyo #49534.410.7%5,556
10National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and TechnologyTsukuba #53733.69.1%4,361
11Waseda UniversityTokyo #65431.510.2%4,106
12University of TsukubaTsukuba #65531.510.1%3,868
13RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter ScienceWako #67231.221.4%410
14RIKENWako #70230.822.2%616
15Hiroshima UniversityHiroshima #72330.411.1%3,021
16Keio UniversityTokyo #80929.29.3%2,989
17Japan Atomic Energy AgencyTōkai Mura #84728.810.9%1,382
18Kobe UniversityKobe #96527.410.3%2,126
19Japan Science and Technology AgencyTokyo #1,01426.914.0%614
20Tokyo University of ScienceTokyo #1,02926.77.8%3,056
21Chiba UniversityChiba #1,04726.59.1%2,097
22RIKEN Center for Advanced PhotonicsWako #1,23824.817.8%299
23Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate UniversityOnna #1,38123.622.4%655
24Nara Institute of Science and TechnologyIkoma #1,44623.111.3%1,128
25Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the UniverseKashiwa #1,45223.146.6%299
26Kanazawa UniversityKanazawa #1,48622.89.6%1,454
27National Astronomical Observatory of JapanMitaka-shi #1,49922.725.8%432
28Advanced Institute of Materials ScienceSendai #1,52722.524.8%250
29University of Electro-CommunicationsTokyo #1,53122.59.1%2,002
30Kyushu Institute of TechnologyKitakyushu #1,53922.57.8%1,902
31Tokyo Metropolitan UniversityTokyo #1,58022.27.8%2,108
32Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and TechnologyYokosuka #1,61122.016.9%880
33The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAIHayama #1,63721.821.6%568
34National Institutes for Quantum Science and TechnologyChiba #1,65221.711.6%742
35Spintronics Research Network of JapanTokyo #1,66921.611.2%225
36High Energy Accelerator Research OrganizationTsukuba #1,68121.517.6%703
37University of ToyamaToyama #1,76621.011.4%788
38Institute for Molecular ScienceOkazaki #1,87320.414.0%283
39Yokohama National UniversityYokohama #1,92620.17.8%1,970
40Okayama UniversityOkayama #1,98919.77.4%1,623
41Nagoya Institute of TechnologyNagoya #1,99319.74.9%1,782
42Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research InstituteSayō #2,01719.611.0%425
43Ritsumeikan UniversityKyoto #2,07219.38.1%2,094
44Shizuoka UniversityShizuoka #2,09819.28.3%1,241
45Korea UniversityTokyo #2,13019.023.0%470
46National Institute for Environmental StudiesTsukuba #2,21318.616.0%566
47Life Science InstituteTokyo #2,23818.512.8%350
48Osaka Metropolitan UniversityOsaka #2,27818.37.5%1,420
49RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence ProjectTokyo #2,29018.322.9%408
50Shinshu UniversityMatsumoto #2,30618.29.0%1,114
51Advanced Science Research CenterNaka #2,32418.124.6%144
52RIKEN Nishina CenterWako #2,34318.029.4%199
53Saitama UniversitySaitama #2,40817.79.1%1,162
54National Institute of Information and Communications TechnologyTokyo #2,48717.49.7%1,066
55Tokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyTokyo #2,53517.27.0%1,542
56Nagasaki UniversityNagasaki #2,53817.211.0%809
57Niigata UniversityNiigata #2,56617.07.7%936
58Japan Advanced Institute of Science and TechnologyNomi Shi #2,57317.010.5%1,115
59Kwansei Gakuin UniversityNishinomiya #2,60816.96.8%531
60SPring-8Sayō #2,61616.910.4%274

Institutions in Japan above the floor of 40 fractional works in Physical Sciences, ordered by their worldwide rank on research quality, 2022–2025.

Who are the top Physical Sciences researchers in Japan?

Y. Makida, Y. Nagasaka and Y. Arai rank highest among researchers based in Japan.

  1. 1Y. Makida#885 worldwide overall8.1k citations · 492 works
  2. 2Y. Nagasaka#2,206 worldwide overall7.3k citations · 488 works
  3. 3Y. Arai#2,486 worldwide overall6k citations · 499 works
  4. 4P. Urquijo#6,812 worldwide overall6.9k citations · 580 works
  5. 5Nei Kato#9,415 worldwide overall2.3k citations · 283 works
  6. 6E. L. Barberio#10,329 worldwide overall7.6k citations · 704 works
  7. 7K. E. Varvell#10,668 worldwide overall7.2k citations · 676 works
  8. 8B. Yabsley#12,161 worldwide overall7.2k citations · 697 works
  9. 9M. Iwasaki#20,833 worldwide overall5.6k citations · 647 works
  10. 10Akihisa Inoue#21,354 worldwide overall4.7k citations · 610 works
  11. 11Naoto Nagaosa#21,817 worldwide overall2.8k citations · 305 works
  12. 12Yoshio Bando#43,633 worldwide overall3.4k citations · 383 works
  13. 13Hideo Ohno#45,548 worldwide overall2.8k citations · 444 works
  14. 14Andrzej Cichocki#47,292 worldwide overall2.3k citations · 278 works
  15. 15Dmitri Golberg#47,426 worldwide overall2.4k citations · 272 works

How Japan compares with other countries in Physical Sciences