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Waseda University (Japanese: ), abbreviated as or , is a
private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...
research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are "the key sites of Knowledge production modes, knowledge production", along with "intergenerational ...
in
Shinjuku , officially called Shinjuku City, is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world ( Shinjuku Station) as well as the Tokyo Metropol ...
, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as the Tōkyō Professional School by
Ōkuma Shigenobu Marquess was a Japanese politician who served as the prime minister of Japan in 1898, and from 1914 to 1916. Born in the Saga Domain, Ōkuma was appointed minister of finance soon after the Meiji Restoration of 1868, aided by his friendship w ...
, the fifth
prime minister of Japan The is the head of government of Japan. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Japan and has the ability to select and dismiss its ministers of state. The prime minister also serves as the commander-in-chief of the Japan Self-Defense Force ...
, the school was formally renamed Waseda University in 1902. Waseda is organized into 36 departments: 13 undergraduate schools and 23 graduate schools. As of 2023, there are 38,776 undergraduate students and 8,490 graduate students. In addition to a central campus in
Shinjuku , officially called Shinjuku City, is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world ( Shinjuku Station) as well as the Tokyo Metropol ...
(Waseda Campus and Nishiwaseda Campus), the university operates campuses in Chūō, Nishitōkyō,
Tokorozawa is a Cities of Japan, city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 343,298 in 168,939 households and a population density of 4761 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Tokorozawa is ...
, Honjō, and
Kitakyūshū is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fukuoka. It is one o ...
. Waseda also operates 21 research institutes at its main Shinjuku campus. The university is selected as one of the Top Type (Type A) universities under
MEXT The , also known as MEXT, is one of the eleven ministries of Japan that compose part of the executive branch of the government of Japan. History The Meiji period, Meiji government created the first Ministry of Education in 1871. In January 2001 ...
's Top Global University Project. The university's faculty and alumni include eight prime ministers of Japan; three prime ministers of Korea; a number of important figures of Japanese literature, including
Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been best-sellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He has received numerous awards for hi ...
;
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of leading Japanese and Korean companies such as
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,
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,
Ito En () is a Japanese multinational drinks company specializing in tea production, distribution, and sales. Ito En is the largest green tea distributor in Japan. The Ito En Group includes subsidiaries based in Japan, the United States, Australia, Si ...
, Lotte,
CJ Group CJ Corporation (), doing business as CJ Group () or simply CJ, is a South Korean conglomerate holding company, operating internationally. It is one of the largest chaebol headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous businesses in ...
,
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; and many
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, including Japan's richest person,
Tadashi Yanai is a Japanese billionaire businessman and the founder and president of Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo ("unique clothing"). As of May 2025, he is the richest person in Japan, with an estimated net worth of US$50.3 billion, and th ...
.


History

Waseda was founded as on 21 October 1882 by
samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...
scholar and Meiji-era politician and former prime minister
Ōkuma Shigenobu Marquess was a Japanese politician who served as the prime minister of Japan in 1898, and from 1914 to 1916. Born in the Saga Domain, Ōkuma was appointed minister of finance soon after the Meiji Restoration of 1868, aided by his friendship w ...
. Before the name 'Waseda' was selected, it was known variously as or after the location of the founder's villa in Waseda Village and the school's location in Totsuka Village, respectively. It was renamed on 2 September 1902, upon acquiring university status. It started as a college with three departments under the old Japanese system of higher education. In 1882, the university had the department of political science and economics, law, and physical science. Along with these departments, an English language course was established, where the students of all the departments could learn English. Three years later, the department of physical science was closed because it had too few applicants. The department of literature was established in 1890, the department of education in 1903, the department of commerce in 1904, and the department of science and engineering in 1908. Although Waseda formally adopted the term university in its title in 1902 it was not until 1920 that, along with other private schools and colleges, it received formal government recognition as a university under the terms of the University Establishment Ordinance. Thus Waseda became, with
Keio University , abbreviated as or , is a private university, private research university located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally established as a school for Rangaku, Western studies in 1858 in Edo. It was granted university status in 1920, becomi ...
, the first private university in Japan. Much of the campus was destroyed in the fire bombings of Tokyo during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, but the university was rebuilt and reopened by 1949. It has grown to become a comprehensive university with two senior high schools and school of art and architecture. On 12 June 1950, sixty police raided Waseda University and seized copies of a Communist-inspired open letter to General MacArthur. The open letter to MacArthur was once read at a Communist-sponsored rally a week earlier. The letter demanded a peace treaty for Japan that would include Russia and Communist China, withdrawal of occupation forces, and the release of eight Japanese sent to prison for assaulting five U.S. soldiers at a Communist rally. A police official said most Waseda meetings would be banned in the future because "political elements" might try to utilize them. Yuichi Eshima, Vice-chairman of the Students Autonomy Society, said the police action "stupefied" students and professors, and that "This is worse than the prewar peace preservation measures." In 1993,
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
visited Waseda University and mentioned that the university is a center of academic excellence and a training ground for Japan's distinguished leaders.


Academic cap

Ōkuma had long desired to create an academic cap so distinctive that someone wearing the cap would immediately be identified as a Waseda student. The chief tailor of
Takashimaya is a Japanese multinational corporation operating a department store chain selling a wide array of products, ranging from wedding dresses and other apparel to electronics and flatware. It has more than 12 branches in Japan located in 2 region ...
, Yashichiro, was called upon to design a cap in three days. Each square cap was stamped on the inside with the student's name, his department, the school seal and the legend, "This certifies that the owner is a student of Waseda". Thus, the cap served as a form of identification, and effectively a status symbol. The cap, with its gold-braided badge, is registered as a trademark.


Anniversary

On 21 October 2007, Waseda University celebrated its 125th anniversary. Ōkuma often talked about the "125 years of life" theory: "The lifespan of a human being can be as long as 125 years. He will be able to live out his natural lifespan as long as he takes proper care of his health", because "physiologists say that every animal has the ability to live five times as long as its growth period. Since a man is said to require about 25 years to become fully mature, it follows that he can live up to 125 years of age." This theory propounded by Ōkuma was very popular and often referred to in the media of the time. In commemorative events relating to Waseda University and Ōkuma, the number 125 is accorded special significance, as it marks an important epoch. The tower of Ōkuma Auditorium, completed on the university's 45th anniversary, is 125 '' shaku'', or about 38 m high. In 1963, there were also events to mark the 125th anniversary of Ōkuma Shigenobu's birth. Ōkuma, who twice served as prime minister of Japan, organized his second cabinet when he was 77 and died when he was 83. He said, "I wish I had understood this '125 years of life' theory 30 years earlier". He did, however, lead a regular life, and lived fairly long compared to other Japanese at the time.


Campus

Waseda University's main campus is located in the Nishi-Waseda district of
Shinjuku , officially called Shinjuku City, is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world ( Shinjuku Station) as well as the Tokyo Metropol ...
. The nearest station is , although Waseda is generally associated with on the
Yamanote Line The Yamanote Line () is a railway Circle route, loop service in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban centres ...
. Apart from the main campus in Shinjuku, there are other campuses around the country: * Waseda (Overall Main) Campus: Shinjuku, Tokyo (formerly known as the Nishi-Waseda Campus) * Toyama Campus: Shinjuku, Tokyo (Waseda Arena) * Nishi-Waseda (Science & Tech Main) Campus: Shinjuku, Tokyo * Nihonbashi Campus: Chūō-ku, Tokyo * Higashifushimi Campus: Nishitōkyō, Tokyo * Tokorozawa Campus:
Tokorozawa, Saitama is a Cities of Japan, city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 343,298 in 168,939 households and a population density of 4761 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Tokorozawa is ...
* Honjō Campus: Honjō, Saitama * Kitakyūshū Campus:
Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka is a Cities of Japan, city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fuk ...


Organization


Undergraduate programs

* School of Political Science and Economics * School of Law * School of Culture, Media and Society * School of Humanities and Social Sciences * School of Education * School of Commerce * School of Creative Science and Engineering * School of Fundamental Science and Engineering * School of Advanced Science and Engineering * School of Social Sciences * School of Human Sciences ** e-School (Internet Degree Program), School of Human Sciences * School of Sports Sciences * School of International Liberal Studies


Graduate programs

* Graduate School of Political Science * Graduate School of Economics * Graduate School of Law * Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences * Graduate School of Commerce * Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering * Graduate School of Fundamental Science and Engineering * Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering * Graduate School of Education * Graduate School of Human Sciences * Graduate School of Social Sciences *
Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies The , or GSAPS, is an independent graduate school focusing on international relations and area studies of the Asia-Pacific region. GSAPS was established in April 1998 on the Waseda Campus of Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. GSAPS students, f ...
* Graduate School of International Culture and Communication * Graduate School of Global Information and Telecommunication Studies * Graduate School of Japanese Applied Linguistics * Graduate School of Information, Production and Systems * Graduate School of Sports Sciences * Business School * The Okuma School of Public Management * Law School * Graduate School of Finance, Accounting and Law * Graduate School of Accountancy * Graduate School of Environment and Energy Engineering * Graduate School of Journalism


Research institutes

* Kagami Memorial Laboratory for Materials Science and Technology * Institute for Comparative Law * The Institute for Research in Business Administration * Institute for Research in Contemporary Political and Economic Affairs * Advanced Research Center for Human Sciences * Advanced Research Institute for Science and Engineering * Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies * Global Information and Telecommunication Institute * Institute for Advanced Studies in Education * Center for Japanese Language * Media Network Center * Environmental Research Institute * Environmental Safety Center * Center for Finance Research * Human Service Center * Comprehensive Research Organization (Project Research Institute) * Institute for Nanoscience & Nanotechnology * Consolidated Research Institute for Advanced Science and Medical Care * Information Technology Research Organization * Organization for Asian Studies * Waseda Institute for Advanced Study (WIAS)


Facilities


Ōkuma Auditorium

The Ōkuma Auditorium is three-story main auditorium that seats 1,435, while the secondary auditorium, located underground, can accommodate 382 people. A seven-story high clock tower stands to the left of the auditorium. Important events and lectures hosted by Waseda University are often held in the Ōkuma Auditorium. Club-sponsored plays, lectures and events are held in the auditorium on days when it is not in use by the university. Many of Waseda University's undergraduate and graduate schools hold their entrance and graduation ceremonies at the Okuma Auditorium. The auditorium opened on 20 October 1927, about five years behind schedule, after the
1923 Great Kantō earthquake The 1923 Great Kantō earthquake (, or ) was a major earthquake that struck the Kantō Plain on the main Japanese island of Honshu at 11:58:32 JST (02:58:32 UTC) on Saturday, 1 September 1923. It had an approximate magnitude of 8.0 on the mom ...
. A Memorial Hall, constructed in 1957, was used as the
fencing Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. It consists of three primary disciplines: Foil (fencing), foil, épée, and Sabre (fencing), sabre (also spelled ''saber''), each with its own blade and set of rules. Most competitive fe ...
venue for the
1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subseq ...
. In April 1999, the auditorium along with the old library building were officially designated the first and second historical buildings under the newly passed Tokyo Metropolitan Landscape Regulations, which aim to preserve buildings representative of Tokyo's history and culture. The auditorium was designated as one of the
Important Cultural Properties of Japan An The term is often shortened into just is an item officially classified as Tangible Cultural Property (Japan), Tangible Cultural Property by the Government of Japan, Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs (Ministry of Education, Cul ...
by the
Agency for Cultural Affairs The is a special body of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). It was set up in 1968 to promote Japanese arts and culture. The agency's budget for FY 2018 rose to ¥107.7 billion. Overview The age ...
in 2007.


Ōkuma Garden

Ōkuma Garden is located near Ōkuma Auditorium. It is a half-Japanese, half-Western garden of Edo period feudal lord Matsudaira Sanuki's former mansion, redesigned by Shigenobu Ōkuma. After his death, the garden was donated to Waseda University. Now it is a recreation place for students.


Libraries and museums

The Waseda University Library is collectively one of Japan's largest libraries and currently hold some 4.5 million volumes and 46,000 serials. The Waseda University Library, designed by Tachu Naitō, Kenji Imai and Kin'ichi Kiriyama, was completed in 1925. This five-story building, with a total area of , was used initially as the University Library. The reading room was housed in a separate two-story building, with a
seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...
of 500. One of the prominent libraries established at the end of the Taishō period, it has been a symbol of Waseda University to this day, along with the Okuma Auditorium and the Theatre Museum. The Old Library and the administration building were expanded in 1934 and 1955, respectively. After the New Central Library, the Old Library stopped serving as a main library, located where the Abe Stadium used to be, was completed in 1990. It now houses Takata Sanae Memorial Research Library, the University Archives, and Aizu Yaichi Museum. Takata Sanae Memorial Research Library opened in 1994. It is named after former university president Takata Sanae. Historical and cultural materials on Waseda University are exhibited in the University Archives, and the materials related with Ōkuma Shigenobu are exhibited in the Ōkuma Memorial Room at the Archives. Aizu Yaichi Memorial Museum opened in 1998. In the front hall, visitors are greeted by the masterpiece "Meian", which dates back to 1927. It is painted on the world's largest hand-made washi (Japanese paper), which is 4.45 meters in diameter and weighs about 12 kilograms. It was manufactured by Iwano Heisaburō, the founder of the Echizen paper works in Imadachi-cho, Fukui prefecture. The masterpiece was painted free of charge by Yokoyama Taikan and Shimomura Kanzan, two artists who represented the modern Japanese style of painting. President Takata Sanae asked them to paint a picture for the Library. The library possesses a unique collection which survived the
Bombing of Tokyo in World War II The was a series of air raids on Japan by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), primarily launched during the closing campaigns of the Pacific Theatre of World War II in 1944–1945, prior to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ...
unlike many of its counterparts. The collection is an important resource for the study of pre-war Japanese history and literature. Other museums and libraries on Waseda campuses include: * Waseda University Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum * Aizu Museum


Athletics


American football


Cheerleading

The Waseda University Cheerleading Club is the cheerleading club of Waseda University.


Baseball

Waseda's baseball team is known for their long history of success in
Tokyo Big6 Baseball League The is an College baseball, intercollegiate baseball conference that features six prominent university, universities in the Tokyo area. It is the oldest collegiate baseball conference in Japan and the oldest baseball league overall in Japan. Be ...
. As of the end of the 2012 season, Waseda had won 43 championships along with the highest winning percentage. They are also known for their rivalry with Keiō University, highlighted by the Sōkeisen series. The series is held twice a year in the spring and autumn at
Meiji-Jingu Stadium The is a baseball stadium in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. It opened in 1926 and holds 37,933 spectators. Property of the Meiji Shrine, it is the home field of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows professional baseball team. It also hosts college baseball, incl ...
, considered one of the most important matches of the year for students from both schools.


Football

Waseda University
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
team won the
Emperor's Cup , commonly known as or Japan FA Cup, and rebranded as The JFA Emperor's Cup from 2024 onwards, is a Japanese annual football competition. It has the longest tradition of any football tournament in Japan, dating back to 1921, before the formatio ...
, in 1964 and 1967.


Rugby union

Waseda University Rugby Football Club has reached the final of the All-Japan University Rugby Championship 31 times, and winning fifteen times, most recently in 2008. Its two traditional rivals are
Keio University , abbreviated as or , is a private university, private research university located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally established as a school for Rangaku, Western studies in 1858 in Edo. It was granted university status in 1920, becomi ...
and
Meiji University is a Private university, private research university in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Originally founded as Meiji Law School () by three lawyers in 1881, it became a university in April 1920. As of May 2023, Meiji has 32,261 undergradu ...
.


Karate

The Waseda University
karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...
club is one of the oldest in Japan, formed in 1931 under the direction of
Gichin Funakoshi was the founder of Shotokan karate. He is known as a "father of modern karate". Following the teachings of Anko Itosu and Anko Asato,Funakoshi, Gichin (1981). ''Karate-Do: My Way of Life'', Kodansha International Ltd. . he was one of the Okin ...
. Funakoshi, Gichin (1973). "Karate-do Kyohan", Kodansha International Ltd, Tokyo. . Graduates of the karate club include Shigeru Egami, leader of the Shotokai school, Kazumi Tabata, founder of the North American Karate-do Federation and
Tsutomu Ohshima is a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate who founded the organization Shotokan Karate of America (SKA).Shotokan Karate of America, and Sadaharu Honda, founder fo Mumon Karate.


Fencing

Waseda's fencing club was established in 1946. In recent years it has achieved impressive intercollegiate and national results. In 2021, Waseda won the men's Épée team division. In 2022, Waseda further strengthened their achievements, claiming victory in all weapon types (Foil, Sabre, Épée) for both men and women's division.


Bending

In 2016, the first university
bandy Bandy is a winter sport and ball sport played by two team sport, teams wearing Ice skates#Bandy skates, ice skates on a large ice surface (either indoors or outdoors) while using sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal. The playin ...
team in Japan was founded. With no field of regular size, they play
rink bandy Rink bandy is a variant of the larger sport of bandy. Unlike bandy which is played on a large bandy field, rink bandy is played on significantly smaller ice hockey-sized ice rinks. While a bandy field is about the same size as a football pi ...
.


Rankings


General

The university ranked 2nd in 2015–2016 in
Toyo Keizai is a book and magazine publisher specializing in politics, economics and business, based in Tokyo, Japan. The company is famous for established in 1895, one of three Japanese leading business magazines ranked with published by Nikkei Busines ...
's ranking. In another ranking, Japanese prep school Kawaijuku ranked Waseda as the 13th best university in Japan. In 2023, Waseda University ranked 199th overall, 118th in academic reputation, and 24th in employer reputation in the ''
QS World University Rankings The ''QS World University Rankings'' is a portfolio of comparative college and university rankings compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds, a higher education analytics firm. Its first and earliest edition was published in collaboration with '' Times ...
''. By subject, Waseda University ranked 25th in Classics and Ancient History, 42nd in Modern Languages, 70th in Law and Legal Studies, 54th in Arts and Humanities, 50th in Politics, 77th in Social Science and Management, 40th in Sports Sciences, 51–100th in Business and Management, 128th in Economics and Econometrics, 101–150th in Engineering, 101–150th in Computer Science, and 115th in Mathematics in the QS World University Rankings by Subject.


Research performance

Generally speaking, national universities in Japan have better research standards; however, Waseda is one of the few private universities which compete with top national universities. According to Weekly Diamond, Waseda has the 12th highest research standard in Japan in terms of research fundings per researchers in COE Program, and it is one of only two private universities within the top 15. On 16 February 2004, ''Nikkei Shimbun'' ran a survey about research standards in
engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...
studies based on Thomson Reuters, Grants in Aid for Scientific Research and questionnaires to heads of 93 leading Japanese Research Centers. Waseda ranked 5th overall, 7th in research planning, and 1st in business-academia collaboration. Waseda was the only private university ranked in the top 5. ''
Asahi Shimbun is a Japanese daily newspaper founded in 1879. It is one of the oldest newspapers in Japan and Asia, and is considered a newspaper of record for Japan. The ''Asahi Shimbun'' is one of the five largest newspapers in Japan along with the ''Yom ...
'' summarized the number of academic papers in Japanese major legal journals by university, and Waseda was ranked 3rd during 2005–2009.


Detailed

According to the Asia Top MBA Business Schools Ranking by
Asiaweek ''Asiaweek'' was an English-language news magazine focusing on Asia, published weekly by Asiaweek Limited, a subsidiary of Time Inc. Based in Hong Kong, it was established in 1975, and ceased publication with its 7 December 2001 issue due to a ...
, Waseda Business School is ranked 2nd in Japan.
Eduniversal Eduniversal is a university ranking business by the French consulting company and rating agency ''SMBG'' specialized in Higher Education. Founded in 1994, one of the main goals of Eduniversal is to provide a tool, for students all around the world ...
also ranked Japanese business schools and Waseda is 2nd in Japan (93rd in the world). In this ranking, Waseda is one of only 3 Japanese business schools categorized in "Universal Business schools with major international influence". Waseda University is one of the few universities in
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
to receive accreditation from the
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is an American professional and accreditation organization. It was founded as the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business in 1916 to provide accreditation to busines ...
(AACSB) of the
United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...
. Waseda Law School is considered one of the top Japanese law schools, as Waseda's successful candidates for
bar examination A bar examination is an examination administered by the bar association of a jurisdiction that a lawyer must pass in order to be admitted to the bar of that jurisdiction. Australia Administering bar exams is the responsibility of the bar associat ...
was 5th in 2009 and 2010 in Japan.


Alumni

According to the ''Weekly Diamond'' on 18 February 2006, Waseda got the highest score from the directors of human resource departments in
Greater Tokyo The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world, consisting of the Kantō region of Japan (including Tokyo Metropolis and the prefectures of Chiba, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Tochigi) as well as the p ...
in its . Waseda was ranked 1st in Social Science and 2nd in Natural Science and Engineering among all Japanese universities. According to the Weekly Economist's 2010 rankings and the
PRESIDENT President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
's article on 16 October 2006, graduates from Waseda have the 11th best employment rate in 400 major companies, and the alumni average salary is the 7th best in Japan. '' Mines ParisTech: Professional Ranking World Universities'' ranked Waseda University as 4th in the world in 2010 (8th in 2011) in terms of the number of alumni listed among CEOs in the 500 largest worldwide companies. The university is also ranked 2nd in Japan for the number of alumni holding the position of executive in the listed companies of Japan. The number of lawyers who graduated Waseda has been ranked 3rd in Japan since 1949. Furthermore, Waseda alumni have been the 2nd largest group in the Japanese Parliament."University rankings 2011" Asahi Shinbun


Selectivity

Waseda is one of the most selective and sought after universities in Japan. The number of applicants per place was 20.5 (115515/5630) in the 2011 undergraduate admissions. This number of applicants was 2nd largest in Japan. its entrance difficulty is usually considered top with Keio among 730 private universities.
Nikkei BP , commonly known as , is a book and magazine publisher based in Tokyo, Japan. The company was established as , a joint venture of Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) and McGraw-Hill in 1969, and it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Nikkei in 1988. Ni ...
has been publishing a ranking system called the " Brand rankings of Japanese universities" every year, composed of various indicators relating to the power of brand, with Waseda achieving top place in 2010 and 3rd place in 2009 in the
Greater Tokyo Area The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world, consisting of the Kantō region of Japan (including Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis and the prefectures of Chiba Prefecture, Chiba, Gunma Prefecture, Gunma, Ibaraki Prefecture, ...
. As of 2020, Waseda University is securely ranked in 2nd place, directly behind the University of Tokyo.


Business

According to 2006 SurveyWeekly Diamond The ranking of the universities which produced the high ratio of the graduates who hold the position of "president and chief executive officer of listed company" to all the graduates of each university
/ref> by Weekly Diamond on the ranking of the universities which produced the high ratio of the graduates who hold the position of "president and chief executive officer of listed company" to all the graduates of each university, Waseda is ranked 10th out of all the 744 Japanese universities which existed as of 2006. According to 2010 SurveyIs it a story of the past that graduates from famous universities can easily move up the career ladder? / RECRUIT AGENT
/ref> by Weekly Economist on the ranking of universities according to the ratio of the number of the officers & managers produced by each university to the number of graduates, Waseda is ranked 35thout of all the 778 Japanese universities which existed as of 2010. According to 2020 Nikkei SurveyImage held by human resources personnel of companies of Japan / Yokohama National University ranked 1st in Kantō & Kōshin'etsu region / Valuation from the ex-students already employed / The Nikkei・Nikkei HR Survey 2020-06-04 17:27
/ref> to all listed (3,714
/ref>) and leading unlisted (1,100), totally 4,814 companies, Waseda is ranked 12th out of 781The number of universities in Japan is 781 as of April 1, 2020. About 80% are private universities.|Ōbun Sha
/ref> Japanese universities as of 2020.


International relations

Its alumni include influential
Chinese government The government of the People's Republic of China is based on a system of people's congress within the parameters of a Unitary state, unitary communist state, in which the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) enacts its policies through people's ...
figures such as
Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai ( zh, s=周恩来, p=Zhōu Ēnlái, w=Chou1 Ên1-lai2; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman, diplomat, and revolutionary who served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China from September 1954 unti ...
and
Li Dazhao Li Dazhao or Li Ta-chao (October 29, 1889 – April 28, 1927) was a Chinese intellectual and revolutionary who participated in the New Culture Movement in the early years of the Republic of China, established in 1912. He co-founded the Chinese Co ...
.
Kim Seong-su Kim Seong-su (; October 11, 1891 – February 18, 1955), art name Inchon, was a Korean educator, independence activist, journalist, entrepreneur, politician, and calligrapher. He served as the second Vice President of South Korea from 1951 to ...
, former
vice president A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...
of
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
, established
Korea University Korea University (KU, ) is a Private university, private research university in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1905 by Yi Yong-ik, Lee Yong-Ik, a prominent official of the Korean Empire, Korea University is among South Korea's oldest List of ...
, one of the Korean peninsula's leading institutions. This connection led to a professional academic collaboration between Waseda and Korea University starting in 1973, culminating in a
dual degree Joint degrees are academic qualifications awarded through integrated curricula often jointly coordinated and delivered by multiple higher education institutions, sometimes across different countries. Graduates may receive a single qualification ...
program at the
bachelor's A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ( ...
and
master's A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
levels. In 1982, Waseda University initiated an academic exchange agreement with
Peking University Peking University (PKU) is a Public university, public Types of universities and colleges in China#By designated academic emphasis, university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with and funded by the Ministry of Education of the Peop ...
. Since 2005, this partnership has offered
double degree Joint degrees are academic qualifications awarded through integrated curricula often jointly coordinated and delivered by multiple higher education institutions, sometimes across different countries. Graduates may receive a single qualification ...
programs at the
bachelor's A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ( ...
,
master's A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
, and
doctoral A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...
( Ph.D.) levels, illustrating the university's dedication to international academic collaboration.


People


Alumni

There are currently more than 600,000 alumni members. According to Japanese media, there are over 3,100 famous individuals known nationwide in Japan who are alumni of Waseda University. Among the notable alumni of Waseda University have become leading politicians, businessmen, writers, architects, athletes, actors, musicians, scientists, and those that have gained both national and international fame. To develop alumni connections, the Waseda network consists of over 50 alumni groups, or "Tomonkai", on six continents. Among notable alumni are
Masaru Ibuka Masaru Ibuka (井深 大 ''Ibuka Masaru''; April 11, 1908 – December 19, 1997) was a Japanese electronics industrialist and co-founder of Sony, along with Akio Morita.Kirkup, James"Obituary: Masaru Ibuka," ''Independent'' (London). December ...
, co-founder of
Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...
; Shuntaro Furukawa, president of
Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto. It develops, publishes, and releases both video games and video game consoles. The history of Nintendo began when craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi ...
; novelist
Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been best-sellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He has received numerous awards for hi ...
; Prime Ministers of Japan
Tanzan Ishibashi was a Japanese journalist and politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1956 to 1957. Born in Tokyo, Ishibashi became a journalist after graduating from Waseda University in 1907. In 1911, he joined the ''Tōyō Keizai Shimpo'' ("Ea ...
,
Noboru Takeshita was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1987 to 1989. Born in Shimane Prefecture, Takeshita attended Waseda University and was drafted into the army during the Pacific War. He was first elected to the National Diet ...
, Toshiki Kaifu,
Keizō Obuchi was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1998 to 2000. Born in Gunma Prefecture, Obuchi graduated from Waseda University and was first elected to the National Diet in 1963, becoming one of the youngest legislators i ...
,
Yoshirō Mori is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party from 2000 to 2001. He was unpopular in opinion polls during his time in office, and is known for making controversial statements, bot ...
,
Yasuo Fukuda is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2007 to 2008. He was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving in that role from 2000 to 2004 under Prime Ministers Yoshirō Mori an ...
,
Yoshihiko Noda is a Japanese politician. He is the current leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), and has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2000. From 2011 to 2012, he was the Prime Minister of Japan. Noda entered po ...
and Fumio Kishida; pioneering video artist and experimental filmmaker
Kohei Ando Kohei Ando (born February 1, 1944) is a Japanese experimental filmmaker, videographer, director, cinematographer, screenwriter, executive producer, and Professor Emeritus of Cinema at Waseda University. He is credited as one of the earliest fi ...
; As mentioned above, notable global alumni of Waseda University include
Lee Byung-chul Lee Byung-chul (; 12 February 1910 – 19 November 1987) was a South Korean businessman who founded the Samsung Group, the country's largest chaebol ( conglomerate). Lee founded Samsung in 1938, at the age of 28. He is recognized as the most ...
and
Lee Kun-hee Lee Kun-hee (; 9 January 194225 October 2020) was a South Korean businessman who served as the chairman of Samsung from 1987 to 2008 and from 2010 to his death in 2020. He is also credited with the transformation of Samsung to one of the world' ...
, Chairmen of
Samsung Samsung Group (; stylised as SΛMSUNG) is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational manufacturing Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in the Samsung Town office complex in Seoul. The group consists of numerous a ...
;
Kim Seong-su Kim Seong-su (; October 11, 1891 – February 18, 1955), art name Inchon, was a Korean educator, independence activist, journalist, entrepreneur, politician, and calligrapher. He served as the second Vice President of South Korea from 1951 to ...
, former
vice president A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...
of
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
and founder of
Korea University Korea University (KU, ) is a Private university, private research university in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1905 by Yi Yong-ik, Lee Yong-Ik, a prominent official of the Korean Empire, Korea University is among South Korea's oldest List of ...
; Shin Kyuk-ho, founder of
Lotte Group Lotte Group is a corporate group started by Zainichi Korean businessman Shin Kyuk-ho in South Korea on June 15, 1948, starting with the South Korea, South Korean Lotte Co., composed of Lotte Holdings, Lotte Holdings (Japan) and Lotte Corporati ...
and builder of one of the world's top five skyscrapers,
Lotte World Tower Lotte World Tower (), is a 123-story, supertall skyscraper, located in Sincheon-dong, Songpa District, Seoul, South Korea. It is the sixth-tallest building in the world, the tallest in OECD countries and in South Korea, and also the firs ...
.
Kim Young-sam Kim Young-sam (, ; 20 December 1927 – 22 November 2015), often referred to by his initials YS, was a South Korean politician and activist who served as the seventh president of South Korea from 1993 to 1998. From 1961, Kim spent almost 30 ye ...
, former
President of South Korea The president of the Republic of Korea (), also known as the president of South Korea (), is the head of state and head of government of South Korea. The president directs the executive branch of the Government of South Korea, government and is ...
who also served as an honorary doctorate and professor; and
Park Tae-joon Park Tae-joon (; October 24, 1927 – December 13, 2011) was a South Korean business tycoon and politician who briefly served as the prime minister of South Korea in 2000. His most renowned accomplishment includes founding of POSCO and growing ...
, former chairman of
POSCO POSCO (formerly Pohang Iron and Steel Company) is a South Korean steel manufacturer headquartered in Pohang, South Korea. It had an output of of crude steel in 2015, making it the List of steel producers, world's sixth-largest steelmaker by thi ...
and
Prime Minister of South Korea The prime minister of the Republic of Korea () is the deputy head of government and the second highest political office of South Korea. The prime minister is appointed by the president of the Republic of Korea, with the National Assembly's appro ...
.
Li Dazhao Li Dazhao or Li Ta-chao (October 29, 1889 – April 28, 1927) was a Chinese intellectual and revolutionary who participated in the New Culture Movement in the early years of the Republic of China, established in 1912. He co-founded the Chinese Co ...
,
Chen Duxiu Chen Duxiu ( zh, t=陳獨秀, p=Chén Dúxiù, w=Ch'en Tu-hsiu; 9 October 1879 – 27 May 1942) was a Chinese revolutionary, writer, educator, and political philosopher who co-founded the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1921, serving as its fi ...
,
Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai ( zh, s=周恩来, p=Zhōu Ēnlái, w=Chou1 Ên1-lai2; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman, diplomat, and revolutionary who served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China from September 1954 unti ...
co-founder of the
Chinese Communist Party The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...
; Palme d'Or winning director Shohei Imamura;
Tadashi Yanai is a Japanese billionaire businessman and the founder and president of Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo ("unique clothing"). As of May 2025, he is the richest person in Japan, with an estimated net worth of US$50.3 billion, and th ...
, founder and
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
of
Fast Retailing is a public Japanese multinational retail holding company. In addition to its primary subsidiary Uniqlo, it owns several other brands, including J Brand, Comptoir des Cotonniers, GU, Princesse Tam-Tam, and Theory. History The company was fou ...
and the richest man in Japan;
Chiune Sugihara was a Japanese diplomat who served as vice-consul for the Japanese Empire in Kaunas, Lithuania. During the Second World War, Sugihara helped thousands of Jews flee Europe by issuing transit visas to them so that they could travel through Japan ...
, Japanese diplomat who rescued 5,558 Jews during the Holocaust; Shizuka Arakawa, 2006 Olympic Champion figure skater; famed ''
tanka is a genre of classical Japanese poetry and one of the major genres of Japanese literature. Etymology Originally, in the time of the influential poetry anthology (latter half of the eighth century AD), the term ''tanka'' was used to disti ...
'' poet
Hakushū Kitahara is the pen-name of , a Japanese ''tanka'' poet active during the Taishō and Shōwa periods of Japan. He is regarded as one of the most popular and important poets in modern Japanese literature. Early life Kitahara was born in Yanagawa, Fuku ...
;
Doppo Kunikida was a Japanese author of novels and romantic poetry during the Meiji period, noted as one of the inventors of Japanese naturalism. Early life and education Doppo Kunikida was born in Chōshi, Chiba as Tetsuo Kunikida. While some doubt exist ...
, Meiji-era novelist and poet noted as one of the inventors of Japanese naturalism; former mayor of
Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
city Tōru Hashimoto; accomplished
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
player Nori Aoki; and 2014, 2018 two-time Olympic Champion figure skater
Yuzuru Hanyu is a Japanese figure skater and ice show producer. Universally regarded as one of the greatest figure skaters in history for his well-rounded skills, achievements, innovations, longevity, popularity, and impact on the sport, he started skat ...
. File:Yasuo Fukuda 200709.jpg,
Yasuo Fukuda is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2007 to 2008. He was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving in that role from 2000 to 2004 under Prime Ministers Yoshirō Mori an ...
File:HarukiMurakami.png,
Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been best-sellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He has received numerous awards for hi ...
File:Arakawa 2009 Festa On Ice.JPG, Shizuka Arakawa File:1930 Li Dazhao Chinese comintern.jpg,
Li Dazhao Li Dazhao or Li Ta-chao (October 29, 1889 – April 28, 1927) was a Chinese intellectual and revolutionary who participated in the New Culture Movement in the early years of the Republic of China, established in 1912. He co-founded the Chinese Co ...
File:Yoshiro Mori 20000405.jpg,
Yoshirō Mori is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party from 2000 to 2001. He was unpopular in opinion polls during his time in office, and is known for making controversial statements, bot ...
File:Kitahara Hakushu.jpg,
Hakushū Kitahara is the pen-name of , a Japanese ''tanka'' poet active during the Taishō and Shōwa periods of Japan. He is regarded as one of the most popular and important poets in modern Japanese literature. Early life Kitahara was born in Yanagawa, Fuku ...
File:Kunikida Doppo.jpg,
Doppo Kunikida was a Japanese author of novels and romantic poetry during the Meiji period, noted as one of the inventors of Japanese naturalism. Early life and education Doppo Kunikida was born in Chōshi, Chiba as Tetsuo Kunikida. While some doubt exist ...
File:Hirokazu Kore-eda Cannes 2015.jpg,
Hirokazu Kore-eda is a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor. He began his career in television and has since directed more than a dozen feature films, including '' Nobody Knows'' (2004), '' Still Walking'' (2008), and '' After the Storm'' ( ...
File:Sugihara b.jpg,
Chiune Sugihara was a Japanese diplomat who served as vice-consul for the Japanese Empire in Kaunas, Lithuania. During the Second World War, Sugihara helped thousands of Jews flee Europe by issuing transit visas to them so that they could travel through Japan ...
File:Ibuka Masaru.jpg, Ibuka Masaru File:Noboru Takeshita 19871106.jpg,
Noboru Takeshita was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1987 to 1989. Born in Shimane Prefecture, Takeshita attended Waseda University and was drafted into the army during the Pacific War. He was first elected to the National Diet ...
File:Shohei Imamura.jpg, Shohei Imamura File:Seikima-II 20100704 Japan Expo 60.jpg, Demon Kakka File:Norichika Aoki on April 26, 2014.jpg, Nori Aoki File:Yuzuru Hanyu-Sochi 2014.jpg,
Yuzuru Hanyu is a Japanese figure skater and ice show producer. Universally regarded as one of the greatest figure skaters in history for his well-rounded skills, achievements, innovations, longevity, popularity, and impact on the sport, he started skat ...
File:Fumio Kishida 20211005 (cropped).jpg, Fumio Kishida
* Fumio Kishida – The 100th and 101st prime minister, Faculty of Law. * Yasushi Kaneko – Politician, Faculty of Commerce. * Hiroshi Kawauchi * Toshiki Kaifu – The 76th and 77th prime minister of Japan, Faculty of Law *
Hirokazu Koreeda is a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor. He began his career in television and has since directed more than a dozen feature films, including '' Nobody Knows'' (2004), '' Still Walking'' (2008), and '' After the Storm'' ( ...
– Graduated from the Faculty of Literature, a film director, and has been a professor at Waseda University since 2014. *
Yuji Kuroiwa Yuji or Yu Ji may refer to: * Yūji, a common masculine Japanese given name * Yu Ji (painter), a Qing dynasty painter and calligrapher * Consort Yu (Xiang Yu's wife) (虞姬; Yuji), the concubine of Xiang Yu, subject of the play ''Farewell My Con ...
– Politician. * Hiroyuki Nagahama – Politician. * Himeka Nakamoto – Faculty of Human Sciences. Former member of Nogizaka46. * Shogo Nakamura – Baseball player, Chiba Lotte Marines. * Kichiemon Nakamura – Kabuki actor. His elder brother, Hakuo Matsumoto, graduated from the Faculty of Drama. *
Fukushiro Nukaga is a Japanese politician who is serving as the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Japan), Speaker of the House of Representatives since October 2023. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party (Japan), Liberal Democratic Party, he has been a ...
– Politician. * Akira Nishino – Former soccer player, led the Japanese team in the Russian World Cup, and currently coaches the Thailand national team. * Miki Nonaka – Member of Morning Musume. *
Yoshihiko Noda is a Japanese politician. He is the current leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), and has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2000. From 2011 to 2012, he was the Prime Minister of Japan. Noda entered po ...
– The 95th prime minister, Faculty of Political Science and Economics. *
Makiko Tanaka is a Japanese politician. She is the daughter of former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka and his official wife Hana. Early life Tanaka attended high school at Germantown Friends School in the United States and graduated from Waseda University. She ...
– Politician. * Shuichi Takatori – Politician. * Ryota Takeda – Politician. *
Noboru Takeshita was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1987 to 1989. Born in Shimane Prefecture, Takeshita attended Waseda University and was drafted into the army during the Pacific War. He was first elected to the National Diet ...
– The 74th prime minister, Faculty of Commerce. * Demon Kakka – Vocalist of Seikima-II, which originated from a Waseda University folk song club * Jin Matsubara – Politician. * Yoshiro Mori – The 85th prime minister, Faculty of Commerce. * Takeshi Mori – Animation director. *
Tomomi Mochizuki , sometimes incorrectly spelled as Tomomichi Mochizuki, is a Japanese storyboard artist, screenwriter, and director, known for having collaborated with leading animation studios such as Studio Ghibli, Nippon Animation, Pierrot, and Sunrise. He som ...
– Animation director. * Katsuki Motodaka – Member of the idol group 7 MEN Samurai, Faculty of Creative Science and Engineering. *
Jun Murakami is a Japanese actor. Career Murakami starred in Sho Miyake's ''Playback'' (2012). He co-starred in Sion Sono's '' The Land of Hope'' (2012) with Megumi Kagurazaka. He has also appeared in films such as Takahisa Zeze's '' Heaven's Story'' an ...
– Professional lyricist, affiliated with the highest level of the Japan Professional Mahjong League. *
Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been best-sellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He has received numerous awards for hi ...
– Graduated from the Faculty of Literature, a novelist. * Shingo Miyake – Graduated from the Faculty of Political Science and Economics. * Marino Miyata – Winner of the 2009 Miss Japan contest. Gained attention as a high school student when she won Miss Japan. Later active in broadcasting, movies, magazines, and more. Entered Waseda University's Faculty of Political Science and Economics in April 2010, graduated in 2014, and joined the Bank of Japan. *
Satoshi Mitazono is a Japanese politician and journalist who is the former governor of Kagoshima Prefecture. He defeated the incumbent Yūichirō Itō at an election held on 10 July 2016. Early life and education Mitazono was born in Ibusuki, Kagoshima in 1958. ...
– Graduated from the Faculty of Education. * – Gravure idol. Graduated from Faculty of Human Sciences in March 2023 with a certification in child-care.


Faculty

Professors who are also Waseda alumni are listed in ''italics''. * '' Yaichi Aizu'', poet, scholar of ancient Chinese and Japanese art, and namesake of Aizu Museum * Tameyuki Amano, economics scholar and educator *''
Kohei Ando Kohei Ando (born February 1, 1944) is a Japanese experimental filmmaker, videographer, director, cinematographer, screenwriter, executive producer, and Professor Emeritus of Cinema at Waseda University. He is credited as one of the earliest fi ...
'', professor emeritus of Cinema * ''Yasunobu Fujiwara'', scholar of
political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...
*
Lafcadio Hearn was a Greek-born Irish and Japanese writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the Western world. His writings offered unprecedented insight into Japanese culture, especially his collections of legend ...
, novelist, literary scholar, professor of
English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from the English-speaking world. The English language has developed over more than 1,400 years. The earliest forms of English, a set of Anglo-Frisian languages, Anglo-Frisian d ...
* ''Smimasa Idditti (Sumimasa Idichi )'', professor of English * '' Kenji Imai'', architect * ''Tokio Kimura'', historian * Kunitake Kume, historian * Tachu Naito, architect * ''Naoyoshi Nakamura'', historian * ''Haruo Nishihara'', law professor, former president * '' Takayasu Okushima'', law professor, former president * Hajime Ōnishi, philosopher * '' Ikuo Ōyama'', scholar of political science * ''Yaso Saijo'', poet * ''Masasada Shiozawa'', scholar of economics, former president * Sanae Takata, scholar of political science, former president * Ōdō Tanaka, philosopher * Shoyo Tsubouchi, playwright, critic,
translator Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''trans ...
, educator, professor of English literature, and namesake of Tsubouchi Memorial Theater Museum * ''Sokichi Tsuda'', historian, recipient of the
Order of Culture The is a Japanese Order (decoration), order, established on February 11, 1937. The order has one class only, and may be awarded to men and women for contributions to Japanese Art, Japan's art, Japanese Literature, literature, science, technolog ...
* Kazutami Ukita, scholar of political science * Shujiro Urata, economist * Yoshio Yamanouchi, translator, scholar of
French literature French literature () generally speaking, is literature written in the French language, particularly by French people, French citizens; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of Franc ...
* Akira Yonekura, law professor * '' Takamasa Yoshizaka'', architect * '' Shigeaki Sugeta'', linguist


Presidents


Principals, ''de facto'' presidents (1882–1907)

* Hidemaro Ōkuma, 1882–1886 * Hisoka Maejima, 1886–1890 * Kazuo Hatoyama, 1890–1907


''De facto'' presidents (1907–1923)

* Sanae Takata, 1907–1915 * Tameyuki Amano, 1915–1917 * Yoshiro Hiranuma, 1918–1921 * Masasada Shiozawa, 1921–1923


Presidents

* Shigenobu Ōkuma, 1907–1922 * Masasada Shiozawa, 1923 * Sanae Takata, 1923–1931 * Hozumi Tanaka (public finance scholar, Doctor of Laws, 1876–1944), 1931–1944 * Tomio Nakano, 1944–1946 * Koichi Shimada, 1946–1954 * Nobumoto Ōhama, 1954–1966 * Kenichi Abe, 1966–1968 * Tsunesaburo Tokikoyama, 1968–1970 * Sukenaga Murai, 1970–1978 * Tsukasa Shimizu, 1978–1982 * Haruo Nishihara, 1982–1990 * Chūmaru Koyama, 1990–1994 * Takayasu Okushima, 1994–2002 * Katsuhiko Shirai, 2002–2010 * Kaoru Kamata, 2010–2018 * Aiji Tanaka, 2018–present


Trustees

* Ryuhoku Narushima, poet, journalist, and one of the first trustees of Waseda * Azusa Ono (1852–1886), law scholar and one of the first trustees of Waseda


Benefactors

Waseda University has had numerous benefactors, including: * Eiichi Shibusawa, businessman and philanthropist * Ichizaemon Morimura, businessman * Koichiro Kagami, businessman * Kenkichi Kodera, presenter of over thirty-six thousand foreign books to the
Library A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...
* Kisaku Maekawa, businessman and philanthropist *
Masaru Ibuka Masaru Ibuka (井深 大 ''Ibuka Masaru''; April 11, 1908 – December 19, 1997) was a Japanese electronics industrialist and co-founder of Sony, along with Akio Morita.Kirkup, James"Obituary: Masaru Ibuka," ''Independent'' (London). December ...
, after whom Masaru Ibuka Auditorium (Hall)Masaru Ibuka Auditorium (Hall) is in the International Conference Center. is named. * Robert J. Shillman, founder & CEO of
Cognex Corporation Cognex Corporation is an American manufacturer of machine vision systems, software and sensors used in automated manufacturing to inspect and identify parts, detect defects, verify product assembly, and guide assembly robots. Cognex is headquart ...
, the namesake of Robert Shillman Hall


See also

*
Keio University , abbreviated as or , is a private university, private research university located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally established as a school for Rangaku, Western studies in 1858 in Edo. It was granted university status in 1920, becomi ...
*
List of National Treasures of Japan (writings) Lists of National Treasures of Japan cover different types of National Treasure (Japan), National Treasure of Japan. They include buildings and fine arts and crafts. Buildings and structures *List of National Treasures of Japan (castles), for str ...


Notes


References

* Kimura, Tokio. ''Waga Waseda: Ōkuma Shigenobu to sono kengaku seishin'', Tokyo, Kobunsha, 1997. * Okushima, Takayasu.; and Nakamura, Naoyoshi., eds. ''Tōmonno gunzo'', Tokyo, Waseda University Press, 1992.


Further reading


''ULTIMATE CRUSH: Waseda University Rugby, Leadership and Building the Strongest Winning Team in Japan''
by Katsuyuki Kiyomiya, translated into English by Ian Ruxton (September 2006, ). The original was published in February 2006 entitle
''Kyukyoku no Shori: Ultimate Crush''
().


External links

* * * {{Coord, 35.709203, N, 139.719333, E, format=dms, region:JP-13_type:edu, display=title 1882 establishments in Japan Venues of the 1964 Summer Olympics Universities and colleges established in 1882 Super Global Universities Olympic fencing venues Olympic modern pentathlon venues Private universities and colleges in Japan American football in Japan Kantoh Collegiate American Football Association Top 8 university Universities and colleges in Tokyo