Meiji University (明治大学, Meiji Daigaku) is a private research university in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Originally founded as Meiji Law School (明治法律学校, Meiji Hōritsu Gakkō) by three lawyers in 1881, it became a university in April 1920.[1]

Meiji University
明治大学
Former names
Meiji Law School
(1881–1903)
Motto権利自由、独立自治
Motto in English
Rights, Liberty, Independence and Self-governance
TypePrivate research university
Established1881; 143 years ago (1881)
PresidentKosaku Dairokuno
Academic staff
2,897 (Spring 2020)
Undergraduates30,010 (Spring 2020)
Location, ,
Japan
CampusUrban
Colours  Shikon (bluish purple)
MascotMeijirō
Websitemeiji.ac.jp
meiji.ac.jp/english

As of May 2023, Meiji has 32,261 undergraduate students and 2,635 postgraduate students.[2] The university consists of 10 undergraduate, 12 graduate, and 4 professional graduate schools, and operates on four campuses around the Greater Tokyo Area: Surugadai, Izumi, Ikuta, and Nakano. Meiji University is the country's most applied-to university, with applications to its undergraduate degrees amounting to approximately 100,000 annually.[3] Meiji is a part of the Top Global University Project of Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.[4] As of 2021, 270 Meiji alumni have competed in the Olympics, garnering 40 medals: 14 gold, 13 silver, and 13 bronze.[5]

Academics

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Undergraduate schools

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Meiji University School House (Liberty Tower)
  • School of Law
    • Businesses Law Course
    • International Relations Law Course
    • Public Service Law Course
    • Law and Information Course
    • Pre-Law School Course
  • School of Commerce
    • Applied Economics Course
    • Marketing Course
    • Finance & Insurance Course
    • Global Business Course
    • Management Course
    • Accounting Course
    • Creative Business Course
  • School of Political Science and Economics
    • Department of Political Science
    • Department of Economics
    • Department of Regional Administration
  • School of Arts and Letters
    • Department of Literature
    • Department of History and Geography
    • Department of Social Psychology
  • School of Science and Technology
    • Department of Electrical Engineering
    • Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering
    • Department of Mechanical Engineering
    • Department of Precision Engineering
    • Department of Architecture
    • Department of Industrial Chemistry
    • Department of Information Science
    • Department of Mathematics
    • Department of Physics
  • School of Agriculture
    • Department of Agriculture
    • Department of Agricultural Chemistry
    • Department of Life Sciences
    • Department of Food and Environmental Policy
  • School of Business Administration
    • Department of Business Administration
    • Department of Accounting
    • Department of Public Management
  • School of Information and Communication
  • School of Global Japanese Studies
    • Department of Global Japanese Studies
  • School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences

Graduate schools

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  • Graduate School of Law
  • Graduate School of Commerce
  • Graduate School of Political Science and Economics
  • Graduate School of Business Administration
  • Graduate School of Arts and Letters
  • Graduate Schools of Informatics and Communication
  • Graduate School of Science and Technology
  • Graduate School of Agriculture
  • Graduate School of Advanced Mathematical Sciences
  • Graduate School of Humanities
  • Graduate School of Global Japanese Studies
  • Graduate School of Global Governance

Professional Graduate Schools

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  • Graduate School of Governance Studies
  • Graduate School of Global Business
  • Graduate School of Professional Accountancy
  • Law School

Campus life

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Meiji University's baseball team belongs to the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League. Every year, rugby union and baseball matches Meisōsen (明早戦) against Waseda University attract support among its students. It also has a successful judo team.[6]

The university announced on February 26, 2009, that it would open a museum dedicated to anime and manga.[7] It will include international research centers hosting Japanese and international scholars as well as a large quality of artifacts on the subject.

Academic rankings

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University rankings
WE [ja] National[8] Employment 35
NBP Greater Tokyo[9][10] Reputation 8
Shimano National[11] Selectivity A1
QS Asia
(Asia version)[12]
General 301-350
QS World[13] General 1201-1400
Program rankings
Social Sciences & Humanities
LAW
Natural Sciences & Technology

Meiji University has achieved worldwide recognition in various international publications focusing on higher education.

General rankings

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The university has been ranked 19th and 26th in 2009 and 2010 respectively in the ranking "Truly Strong Universities" by Toyo Keizai.[20]

Research performance

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The Nikkei Shimbun on 16 February 2004 surveyed about the research standards in engineering studies based on Thomson Reuters, Grants in Aid for Scientific Research and questionnaires to heads of 93 leading Japanese Research Centers, and Meiji was placed 37th in this ranking.[21]

Meiji has filed the 62nd highest number of patents in the nation as its research outcomes.[22]

Graduate school rankings

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Meiji Law School is considered one of the top Japanese law schools, as Meiji's number of successful candidates for Japanese bar examination has been 14th and 20th in 2009 and 2010 respectively.[23] It is one of the strongest department in this university as the cumulative number of people qualified as lawyer and prosecutor has been historically sixth after WW2.[24]

Eduniversal ranked Meiji as fourth in the rankings of "Excellent Business Schools nationally strong and/or with continental links" in Japan.[25]

Meiji University is one of the top 10 private universities in Japan.[26]

Alumni rankings

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According to the Weekly Economist's 2010 rankings, graduates from Meiji University have the 35th best employment rate in 400 major companies[27]

The university is also ranked sixth in Japan for the number of alumni holding the position of executive in the listed companies of Japan, and this number per student (probability of becoming an executive) is 25th.[28][29]

Meiji graduates have been ranked fifth in Japan in the number of successful national CPA exam applicants.[30] Its graduates have been also ranked ninth in Japan in the number of successful Architect Registration exam applicants.[31]

Furthermore, the number of Members of Parliament who graduated Meiji is sixth in Japan.[32]

Popularity and selectivity

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The number of applicants per place was 24.9 (113,905/4,582) in the 2011 undergraduate admissions, this number of applicants (113,905) was largest in 2011.[33][34] Its entrance difficulty is also very selective.[35][36]

Meiji university is regarded as comparable with the Tokyo-area private universities Aoyama Gakuin, Rikkyo, Chuo, and Hosei, collectively called "MARCH".[citation needed]

Alumni

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Meiji University's alumni have included: Japan's first female lawyer, 2 Japanese prime ministers, 48 national politicians, 380 professional athletes, 115 company presidents, and 264 artists.[37]

Politics

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Former (1974–1976) Japanese prime minister Takeo Miki
 
Madjid Usman

World leaders

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US Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell

Other politicians

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Others

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Masao Koga
 
Takeshi Kitano
 
Yuto Nagatomo
 
Keiko Kitagawa

Sister Universities

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "明治大学の成り立ちと創立者たち". 明治大学 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  2. ^ "入学者数・在学生数、卒業・就職状況等". 明治大学 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  3. ^ "私立大学「実志願者数」2023年版 トップは明治大学". AERA dot. (アエラドット) (in Japanese). 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  4. ^ "Universities - Study in Japan(Japanese university) - Global30". Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  5. ^ "ALL ABOUT MEIJI データで見る明治大学". ALL ABOUT MEIJI (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  6. ^ Takahiko Ishikawa, Donn F. Draeger (1999). Judo Training Methods. Tuttle Publishing. p. 24. ISBN 9780804832106.
  7. ^ David McNeill, "A Scholarly Home for Manga," Chronicle of Higher Education. ("To continue reading this premium article [beyond the first 212 sentences], you must have a Chronicle account AND a subscription or an online pass.")
  8. ^ "Employment rate in 400 major companies rankings" (in Japanese). Weekly Economist. 2011. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  9. ^ "Nikkei BP Brand rankings of Japanese universities" (in Japanese). Nikkei Business Publications. 2010. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  10. ^ "Nikkei BP Brand rankings of Japanese universities" (in Japanese). Nikkei Business Publications. 2009. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  11. ^ "GBUDU University Rankings" (in Japanese). YELL books. 2009. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  12. ^ "QS World University Rankings: Asia 2025". QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited. 2025. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  13. ^ "QS World University Rankings". QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited. 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  14. ^ Asahi Shimbun University rankings 2010 "Publification rankings in Law (Page 4)" (PDF) (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  15. ^ "Kawaijuku japanese universities rankings in Engineering field" (in Japanese). Kawaijuku. 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  16. ^ "QS topuniversities world rankings in Engineering field". Topuniversities. 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Thomson Reuters 10 Top research institutions by subject in Japan" (in Japanese). Thomson Reuters. 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  18. ^ a b "ARWU in Mathematics". Shanghai Jiaotong University. 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  19. ^ a b "ARWU in Computer Science". Shanghai Jiaotong University. 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  20. ^ "Truly Strong Universities" (in Japanese). Toyo Keizai. 2010. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  21. ^ "大学工学部研究力調査(04.2.22)". Archived from the original on 7 May 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  22. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-23. Retrieved 2011-05-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. ^ "2010年(平成22年)新司法試験法科大学院別合格率ランキング -法科大学院seek-". Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  24. ^ "大学ランキング 偏差値・就職・資格なんでもランクづけ 司法試験合格者数累計(昭和24年~平成20年)". Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  25. ^ "University and business school ranking in Japan". Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  26. ^ 明治大学の偏差値
  27. ^ "図録▽大企業就職率大学ランキング". Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  28. ^ 出身大学別上場企業役員数ランキング (in Japanese). 大学ranking.net. Archived from the original on 2010-12-06. Retrieved 2011-05-12.
  29. ^ 出身大学別上場企業役員数ランキング (in Japanese). 大学ranking.net.
  30. ^ "CPA Successful Applicants rankings" (in Japanese). Yutaka Honkawa. 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  31. ^ "Architects Registration Exam Successful Applicants rankings" (in Japanese). Shikaku Seek. 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  32. ^ "閣僚経験者出身大学ランキング―有名人の出身大学ランキング". Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  33. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-01-24. Retrieved 2011-05-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  34. ^ "代々木ゼミナール(予備校) - ご案内" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  35. ^ E.g. Yoyogi seminar published Hensachi (the indication showing the entrance difficulties by prep schools) rankings "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 22, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  36. ^ Japanese journalist Kiyoshi Shimano ranks its entrance difficulty as A1 (2nd most selective/out of 10 scales) in Japan. 危ない大学・消える大学 2012年版 (in Japanese). YELL books. 2011. ASIN 4753930181.
  37. ^ "明治大学出身の有名人". みんなの大学情報 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  38. ^ Riadi, Fajar (2023-03-17). "Indonesia and Japan in War: Same Bed, Different Dreams". historia.id. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  39. ^ Awarded an honorary Bachelor of Science in engineering in 2004, 34 years after he dropped out to pursue his career in entertainment.[citation needed]
  40. ^ Chris, Greening (20 January 2013). "Motoi Sakuraba Profile". Game Music Online. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  41. ^ "活躍する卒業生 – KENCHI – - Meiji.net(メイジネット)明治大学". Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
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35°41′51″N 139°45′42″E / 35.697474°N 139.761588°E / 35.697474; 139.761588