List of prime ministers of Japan by education

This is a list of prime ministers of Japan and the educational institutions they attended. As of October 2024, of the 66 prime ministers to date, 17 were educated at the University of Tokyo (called Tokyo Imperial University between 1897 and 1947), seven at Waseda University, six at the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, five at the Imperial Japanese Army Academy, four at Keio University, two at Kyoto University and Meiji University, and one at 13 other institutions. 7 did not attend higher education.

Many prime ministers born and raised during the Edo period didn’t attend university, as there was no degree-awarding higher education at the time. Instead, education was predominantly provided by local temples and shrine priests through private systems such as the Shoheizaka Gakumonjo.Kelly, Boyd. (1999). Encyclopedia of Historians and Historical Writing, Vol. 1, p. 522.De Bary, William et al. (2005). Sources of Japanese Tradition, Vol. 2, p. 69. Since around the Meiji Restoration, young samurai and heirs of noble families, often backed by the government or feudal lords, began attending universities abroad, such as Itō Hirobumi, who studied at University College London, and Saionji Kinmochi, who was born into a prominent kuge family and attended the University of Paris. The country’s first university, the University of Tokyo, was established in the 1870s. Since the 1920s, when early graduates of the university had risen through the ranks, most civilian prime ministers have been educated at universities in Japan.

Table Bold indicates institutions that are active as of April 2025. UniversityNo.Prime ministersUniversity of Tokyo17Hara Takashi, Katō Takaaki, Wakatsuki Reijirō, Hamaguchi Osachi, Kōki Hirota, Hiranuma Kiichirō, Kijūrō Shidehara, Shigeru Yoshida, Tetsu Katayama, Hitoshi Ashida, Ichirō Hatoyama, Nobusuke Kishi, Eisaku Satō, Takeo Fukuda, Yasuhiro Nakasone, Kiichi Miyazawa and Yukio HatoyamaWaseda University7Tanzan Ishibashi, Noboru Takeshita, Keizō Obuchi, Yoshirō Mori, Yasuo Fukuda, Yoshihiko Noda and Fumio KishidaImperial Japanese Naval Academy6Yamamoto Gonnohyōe, Katō Tomosaburō, Saitō Makoto, Keisuke Okada, Mitsumasa Yonai and Kantarō Suzuki Imperial Japanese Army Academy5Tanaka Giichi, Senjūrō Hayashi, Nobuyuki Abe, Hideki Tojo and Kuniaki KoisoKeio University4Inukai Tsuyoshi, Ryutaro Hashimoto, Junichiro Koizumi and Shigeru IshibaKyoto University2Fumimaro Konoe and Hayato IkedaMeiji University2Takeo Miki and Tomiichi MurayamaSophia University1Morihiro HosokawaGakushuin University1Tarō AsōChuo University1Toshiki KaifuHosei University1Yoshihide SugaHitotsubashi University1Masayoshi ŌhiraKobe University1Sanae Takaichi (incumbent)Shiga University1Sōsuke UnoTokyo Institute of Technology1Naoto KanSeikei University1Shinzo AbeSeijo University1Tsutomu HataTokyo University of Marine Science and Technology1Zenkō SuzukiChuo College of Technology1Kakuei TanakaArmy War College1Prince Naruhiko HigashikuniUniversity College London1Itō HirobumiUniversity of Paris1Saionji KinmochiArmy Toyama School1Terauchi MasatakeDid not attend higher education7Kuroda Kiyotaka, Yamagata Aritomo, Matsukata Masayoshi, Ōkuma Shigenobu, Katsura Tarō, Takahashi Korekiyo and Kiyoura Keigo

List Prime Minister Term of office School University Degree Additional education Itō Hirobumi 1885–18881892–189618981900–1901 Shōkasonjuku AcademyUniversity College London — Kuroda Kiyotaka 1888–1889 Jigen-ryū— — Yamagata Aritomo 1889–18911898–1900 Shōkasonjuku Academy— — Matsukata Masayoshi 1891–18921896–1898 Zoshikan— — Ōkuma Shigenobu 18981914–1916 Kōdōkan — — Katsura Tarō 1901–19061908–19111912–1913 —— — Saionji Kinmochi 1906–19081911–1912 —University of Paris Law Yamamoto Gonnohyōe 1913–19141923–1924 — Imperial Japanese Naval Academy — Terauchi Masatake 1916–1918 —Army Toyama School —Hara Takashi1918–1921Marin Seminary Tokyo Imperial University Did not graduate Takahashi Korekiyo 1921–1922 — — — Katō Tomosaburō 1922–1923 — Imperial Japanese Naval Academy —Kiyoura Keigo1924Kangi-en — — Katō Takaaki 1924–1926 Nagoya Western School Tokyo Imperial University English law Wakatsuki Reijirō 1926–19271931 Shimane Prefectural Matsue Kita High School Tokyo Imperial University LawTanaka Giichi1927–1929— Imperial Japanese Army Academy —Army War College Hamaguchi Osachi 1929–19301931 Third Higher School Tokyo Imperial University Law Inukai Tsuyoshi 1931–1932 — Keio University Sinology Saitō Makoto 1932–1934 — Imperial Japanese Naval Academy — Keisuke Okada 1934–1936 Imperial Japanese Army Academy Imperial Japanese Naval Academy — Kōki Hirota 1936–1937 First Higher School Tokyo Imperial University Law Senjūrō Hayashi 1937 Fourth Higher School Imperial Japanese Army Academy — Army War College Fumimaro Konoe 1937–19391940–1941 First Higher School Kyoto Imperial University Marxian economics Hiranuma Kiichirō 1939 First Higher School Tokyo Imperial University English law Nobuyuki Abe 1939–1940 Tokyo First Middle School Imperial Japanese Army Academy —Army War College Mitsumasa Yonai 1940 Morioka Middle School Imperial Japanese Naval Academy — Hideki Tojo 1941–1944 Army Central Children's School Imperial Japanese Army Academy — Army War College Kuniaki Koiso 1944–1945 Yamagata Middle School Imperial Japanese Army Academy —Kantarō Suzuki1945Kogyokusha Junior & Senior High School Imperial Japanese Naval Academy — Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni 1945 Gakushūin Army War College —Kijūrō Shidehara1945–1946Third Higher School Tokyo Imperial University Law Shigeru Yoshida 1946–19471948–1954 Tokyo Physics School Tokyo Imperial University Law Tetsu Katayama 1947–1948 Third Higher School Tokyo Imperial University Law Hitoshi Ashida 1948 First Higher School Tokyo Imperial University LawIchirō Hatoyama1954–1956First Higher School Tokyo Imperial University English law Tanzan Ishibashi 1956–1957 Waseda University Junior and Senior High School Waseda University Literature Nobusuke Kishi 1957–1960 First Higher School Tokyo Imperial University German law Hayato Ikeda 1960–1964 Fifth Higher School Kyoto Imperial University Law Eisaku Satō 1964–1972Fifth Higher School Tokyo Imperial University Law Kakuei Tanaka 1972–1974 Kinjo Gakuen High School Chuo College of Technology Civil engineeringTakeo Miki1974–1976Tokushima Prefectural Commercial School Meiji University Law Takeo Fukuda 1976–1978 First Higher School Tokyo Imperial University Law Masayoshi Ōhira 1978–1980 Takamatsu High School of Commerce Tokyo University of Commerce Economics Zenkō Suzuki 1980–1982 Iwate Prefectural Fisheries School Tokyo University of Fisheries — Yasuhiro Nakasone1982–1987 Shizuoka Higher School Tokyo Imperial University Law Noboru Takeshita 1987–1989 Waseda University Junior and Senior High School Waseda University Economics Sōsuke Uno 1989 Shiga Prefectural Yawata Commercial School Hikone Commercial College Economics Toshiki Kaifu 1989–1991 Tokai Junior High School Chuo University Law Waseda University Kiichi Miyazawa 1991–1993 Musashi Higher School Tokyo Imperial University Law Morihiro Hosokawa 1993–1994 Gakushūin Sophia University Law Tsutomu Hata 1994Seijo Academy High School Seijo University Economics Tomiichi Murayama 1994–1996 Oita Municipal High School Meiji University Political science Ryutaro Hashimoto 1996–1998 Azabu High School Keio University Law Keizō Obuchi 1998–2000 Tokyo Metropolitan Kita High School Waseda University Political science Yoshirō Mori 2000–2001 Kanazawa Nisui High School Waseda University Economics Junichiro Koizumi 2001–2006 Yokosuka High School Keio University Economics University College London Shinzo Abe 2006–20072012–2020 Seikei Senior High School Seikei University Political science University of Southern California (dropped out) Yasuo Fukuda 2007–2008 Azabu High School Waseda University Economics Tarō Asō 2008–2009 Gakushūin Gakushuin University Political scienceStanford University (dropped out)London School of Economics Yukio Hatoyama 2009–2010Tokyo Metropolitan Koishikawa High School University of Tokyo EngineeringStanford University Naoto Kan 2010–2011Tokyo Metropolitan Koyamadai High School Tokyo Institute of Technology Science Yoshihiko Noda 2011–2012 Chiba Prefectural Funabashi Senior High School Waseda University Political science Yoshihide Suga 2020–2021Akita Prefectural Yuzawa High School Hosei University Law Fumio Kishida 2021–2024 Kaisei AcademyWaseda University Law Shigeru Ishiba 2024–2025 Keio Senior High School Keio University Law Sanae Takaichi 2025–present Nara Prefectural Unebi High School Kobe University Business Prime Minister Term of office School University Degree Additional education

See also List of prime ministers of Japan List of prime ministers of Japan by time in office List of prime ministers of Japan by home prefecture

References