Imperial Universities

The were founded by the Empire of Japan between 1886 and 1939, seven in Mainland Japan, one in Korea under Japanese rule and one in Taiwan under Japanese rule. These universities were funded by the imperial government until the end of World War II.

Historical context The name 'Imperial University' was initially used by what is now the University of Tokyo, the nation's first university. Although it was originally established under its current name, the Meiji government renamed it in 1886. In 1897, when it was decided to establish the nation's second university in Kyoto, the original Imperial University was renamed Tokyo Imperial University. Meanwhile, the newly established university was named Kyoto Imperial University.

Unlike in North America but similar to (continental) Europe, modern higher education in Japan mostly originated as national projects. There had been no private universities in Japan until 1920, when Keio and Waseda were granted university status. Thus, for the majority of its pre-war history, Japan's political, business and academic establishment predominantly consisted of alumni of the Imperial Universities and universities abroad, which further strengthened the prestige and power of these universities.

Today, these universities are no longer 'imperial', as Japan ceased to be an empire after the loss of World War II, and are often described as the . They are viewed as some of the most prestigious in Japan. These former imperial universities are generally perceived as Japan's equivalent of the Ivy League in the United States, Golden Triangle in the United Kingdom, and the C9 League in China. The alumni club of these nine imperial universities is called .学士会について (学士会)

Unlike Taihoku Imperial University (renamed in 1945 to National Taiwan University) in then-Japanese Taiwan, the Keijō Imperial University in then-Japanese Korea was closed by the United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK) with U.S. Military Ordinance No. 102. Seoul National University was built by merging nine schools in Seoul and the remaining properties of Keijō Imperial University (Kyŏngsŏng University). The National Taiwan University and Seoul National University are today among the most prestigious universities of Taiwan and Korea.

Timeline

Members Imperial UniversitiesSuccessor universitiesWorld university rankings Founded Name Image Present-day name LocationColorsTHE (2025)ARWU (2024)QS (2025)1877,renamed in 1897Bunkyō, Tokyo2828321897 Kyoto, Kyoto5545501907Sendai, Miyagi120201–3001071911Fukuoka, Fukuoka301–350201–3001671918Sapporo, Hokkaidō351–400201–3001731924Closed in 1946, properties and faculties succeeded by Seoul National University (서울대학교)SeoulClosed62 (Seoul National University)86 (Seoul National University)31 (Seoul National University)1928National Taiwan University ()The Chinese (Kuomintang) government took control of the university and renamed it.Da'an, Taipei172 (National Taiwan University)201–300 (National Taiwan University)68 (National Taiwan University)1931Suita, Osaka162201–300861939Nagoya, Aichi201–250101–150152

Locations (present-day Japan)

Athletic competition The universities are notable for hosting special-rules judo competitions called Nanatei Judo (:ja:七帝柔道, Seven Emperors Judo) since 1952. In 1962, the athletic competition expanded under the sponsorship of Hokkaido University, formerly known as the , its name was later changed to the Seven Universities Athletic Meet in 2002.51st Seven Universities Athletic Meet Opening Ceremony (July 7, 2012) (Kyoto University)UTokyo's Ice Hockey Team Wins at the Seven Universities Athletic Meet for the First Time in 46 Years (Student Support Group) (University of Tokyo) The competition is commonly called the or the .Long-awaited overall victory in Nanadai-sen (University of Tokyo)

Imperial Universities

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