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Field · Physics and Astronomy · Japan

Physics and Astronomy research in Japan

The University of Tokyo ranks first in Japan for Physics and Astronomy research in 2022–2025 (#14 worldwide), followed by National Institute for Materials Science and Kyoto University.

Japan's world rank
#6
of 79 countries, 2022–2025
Works, 2022–2025
22k
Top-10% rate
17.4%
Ranked institutions
60

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

What is the best university for Physics and Astronomy in Japan?

#InstitutionWorld rankScoreTop-10% rateWorks
1The University of TokyoTokyo #1464.423.8%2,112
2National Institute for Materials ScienceTsukuba #2755.517.8%441
3Kyoto UniversityKyoto #4349.224.8%1,185
4Tohoku UniversitySendai #6144.518.1%1,047
5Nagoya UniversityNagoya #11635.819.0%776
6The University of OsakaOsaka #16830.818.0%825
7RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter ScienceWako #19628.725.5%165
8RIKENWako #22626.829.5%276
9Tokyo Institute of TechnologyTokyo #27024.415.3%519
10Hokkaido UniversitySapporo #28223.818.2%426
11Keio UniversityTokyo #29923.018.4%257
12University of TsukubaTsukuba #32721.816.1%380
13Japan Atomic Energy AgencyTōkai Mura #33621.519.3%263
14RIKEN Center for Advanced PhotonicsWako #35220.821.7%107
15Kyushu UniversityFukuoka #36520.317.9%473
16Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the UniverseKashiwa #38719.550.6%246
17Nara Institute of Science and TechnologyIkoma #39219.426.4%121
18Waseda UniversityTokyo #39319.317.5%300
19National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and TechnologyTsukuba #40818.87.1%364
20Hiroshima UniversityHiroshima #43018.116.9%284
21Chiba UniversityChiba #45217.514.5%236
22Japan Science and Technology AgencyTokyo #46017.221.4%85
23National Astronomical Observatory of JapanMitaka-shi #46417.129.7%323
24Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate UniversityOnna #47216.926.5%170
25High Energy Accelerator Research OrganizationTsukuba #49216.326.0%328
26National Institutes for Quantum Science and TechnologyChiba #49716.216.0%248
27Spintronics Research Network of JapanTokyo #50016.114.3%85
28Tokyo University of ScienceTokyo #52215.514.1%250
29Kobe UniversityKobe #53115.315.7%205
30The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAIHayama #59813.730.1%219
31Advanced Science Research CenterNaka #66012.333.2%82
32RIKEN Nishina CenterWako #66312.334.3%138
33Institute for Molecular ScienceOkazaki #67712.017.4%62
34University of Electro-CommunicationsTokyo #68311.97.2%176
35Tokyo Metropolitan UniversityTokyo #8069.618.5%214
36National Institute of Information and Communications TechnologyTokyo #8528.99.7%141
37Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research InstituteSayō #8648.713.4%81
38Kanazawa UniversityKanazawa #8748.615.4%129
39NTT Basic Research LaboratoriesAtsugi #8768.510.2%95
40Saitama UniversitySaitama #8958.216.6%128
41Shizuoka UniversityShizuoka #9068.114.0%103
42SPring-8Sayō #9317.712.7%81
43Yokohama National UniversityYokohama #9577.38.4%155
44Osaka Metropolitan UniversityOsaka #9966.814.1%141
45National Institutes of Natural SciencesTokyo #9976.828.5%83
46Kyushu Institute of TechnologyKitakyushu #1,0166.58.3%117
47NTT (Japan)Tokyo #1,0625.97.7%82
48Okayama UniversityOkayama #1,1075.48.4%103
49Niigata UniversityNiigata #1,1085.319.7%86
50Okayama University of ScienceOkayama #1,1205.29.9%66
51Hitachi (Japan)Tokyo #1,1225.28.2%82
52Chuo UniversityHachiōji #1,1414.99.8%66
53Tokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyTokyo #1,1964.39.0%67
54Nihon UniversityTokyo #1,2873.311.1%120
55Kindai UniversityOsaka #1,2993.217.4%101
56Toyota Technological InstituteNagoya #1,3352.816.7%66
57Japan Aerospace Exploration AgencyTokyo #1,3402.816.0%186
58Nagoya Institute of TechnologyNagoya #1,3572.65.3%73
59Ibaraki UniversityIbaraki #1,3642.58.1%73
60Rikkyo UniversityTokyo #1,3772.428.3%86

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

Who are the top Physics and Astronomy researchers in Japan?

Y. Makida, S. Fratina and T. Ohsugi rank highest among researchers based in Japan.

  1. 1Y. Makida#885 worldwide overall8.1k citations · 395 works
  2. 2S. Fratina#1,004 worldwide overall4k citations · 166 works
  3. 3T. Ohsugi#1,511 worldwide overall3.3k citations · 169 works
  4. 4Y. Nagasaka#2,206 worldwide overall7.3k citations · 447 works
  5. 5Y. Arai#2,486 worldwide overall6k citations · 306 works
  6. 6M. Fukugita#4,304 worldwide overall3.4k citations · 190 works
  7. 7J. C. Hill#6,220 worldwide overall2.3k citations · 174 works
  8. 8P. Urquijo#6,812 worldwide overall6.9k citations · 551 works
  9. 9Shin’ichi Nojiri#8,595 worldwide overall2.8k citations · 165 works
  10. 10E. L. Barberio#10,329 worldwide overall7.6k citations · 661 works
  11. 11H. Tajima#10,362 worldwide overall2.1k citations · 193 works
  12. 12K. E. Varvell#10,668 worldwide overall7.2k citations · 640 works
  13. 13B. Yabsley#12,161 worldwide overall7.2k citations · 664 works
  14. 14S. Terada#12,932 worldwide overall2.1k citations · 188 works
  15. 15T. Kobayashi#16,608 worldwide overall2.1k citations · 185 works

How Japan compares with other countries in Physics and Astronomy