2020 Research Leaders: Leading institutions in chemistry

The 2020 Research Leaders are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019.

Table criteria

Position Institution Share 2018 Share 2019 Count 2019 Change in Adjusted Share* 2018–2019
1 The University of Tokyo (UTokyo), Japan 141.49 148.05 295 -2.4% Decrease
2 Kyoto University, Japan 148.36 135.81 263 -14.6% Decrease
3 Osaka University, Japan 91.20 101.31 187 3.6% Increase
4 Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), Japan 72.79 92.00 154 17.9% Increase
5 Hokkaido University, Japan 60.92 66.19 130 1.3% Increase
6 Kyushu University, Japan 46.37 58.03 121 16.7% Increase
7 Tohoku University, Japan 59.39 56.56 124 -11.2% Decrease
8 Nagoya University, Japan 69.34 56.19 131 -24.4% Decrease
9 National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Japan 36.41 37.63 167 -3.6% Decrease
10 RIKEN, Japan 48.55 37.63 145 -27.7% Decrease
11 National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan 37.97 32.83 103 -19.4% Decrease
12 Okayama University, Japan 15.06 26.13 41 61.8% Increase
13 University of Tsukuba, Japan 14.34 21.99 61 43.0% Increase
14 Kanazawa University (KU), Japan 15.75 20.25 39 19.9% Increase
15 Hiroshima University (HU), Japan 9.87 20.20 44 90.8% Increase
16 Keio University, Japan 19.54 15.65 27 -25.3% Decrease
17 Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU), Japan 8.04 14.55 35 68.9% Increase
18 Tokyo University of Science (TUS), Japan 14.14 14.45 23 -4.7% Decrease
19 Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), Japan 13.36 13.77 28 -3.9% Decrease
20 Chiba University, Japan 12.29 13.24 25 0.4% Increase
21 Toyota Group, Japan 3.37 12.75 24 253.1% Increase
22 Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Japan 7.19 11.54 26 49.8% Increase
23 Shinshu University (SU), Japan 6.22 11.21 29 68.1% Increase
24 Waseda University, Japan 15.31 10.73 22 -34.7% Decrease
25 Kumamoto University, Japan 9.56 10.45 22 2.0% Increase
26 Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan 3.90 10.16 19 143.1% Increase
27 Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Japan 6.68 9.82 21 37.1% Increase
28 Institute of Microbial Chemistry (IMC), Japan 5.87 9.54 13 51.7% Increase
29 Tokyo Metropolitan University (TMU), Japan 8.77 9.08 23 -3.3% Decrease
30 Nagoya Institute of Technology (NITech), Japan 14.50 8.09 15 -48.0% Decrease
31 Gifu University, Japan 4.18 7.88 12 75.7% Increase
32 National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS), Japan 7.69 7.86 39 -4.7% Decrease
33 Kobe University, Japan 10.85 7.11 16 -38.9% Decrease
34 University of Toyama, Japan 3.05 7.06 14 115.9% Increase
35 Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences (TUPLS), Japan 2.97 7.04 10 120.9% Increase
36 The Kitasato Institute, Japan 2.62 6.43 12 128.5% Increase
37 Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Japan 5.42 6.29 10 8.2% Increase
38 Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan 2.71 6.06 10 108.6% Increase
39 Ehime University, Japan 5.04 6.05 11 12.1% Increase
40 The University of Electro-Communications (UEC), Japan 2.71 5.66 14 95.2% Increase
41 Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI), Japan 5.56 5.44 61 -8.7% Decrease
42 High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Japan 3.89 5.36 31 28.6% Increase
43 Kanagawa University, Japan 4.78 4.93 8 -3.7% Decrease
44 National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Japan 1.32 4.67 14 229.1% Increase
45 University of Shizuoka, Japan 4.65 4.19 8 -15.9% Decrease
46 Meijo University, Japan 2.05 4.16 15 88.7% Increase
47 Yamagata University, Japan 5.42 4.01 12 -31.0% Decrease
48 Ritsumeikan University, Japan 3.56 3.91 13 2.3% Increase
49 Tokushima University, Japan 3.71 3.88 9 -2.5% Decrease
50 Nagoya City University, Japan 2.98 3.79 9 18.7% Increase
51 Shimadzu Corporation, Japan 3.23 3.49 7 0.6% Increase
52 Gunma University, Japan 1.96 3.47 7 64.8% Increase
53 Rikkyo University, Japan 3.49 3.45 10 -7.7% Decrease
54 Gifu Pharmaceutical University (GPU), Japan 2.60 3.42 6 22.8% Increase
55 Kyoto Institute of Technology (KIT), Japan 6.17 3.38 13 -48.8% Decrease
56 Toyota Technological Institute (TTI), Japan 0.98 3.37 7 220.2% Increase
57 Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech), Japan 2.81 3.36 7 11.8% Increase
58 Chubu University, Japan 0.89 3.30 5 245.5% Increase
59 Nihon University, Japan 2.19 3.26 11 39.0% Increase
60 Sophia University, Japan 1.36 3.14 6 114.8% Increase
61 Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT), Japan 3.10 2.92 5 -12.0% Decrease
62 Nara Women's University (NWU), Japan 4.10 2.85 5 -35.2% Decrease
63 Shizuoka University, Japan 6.85 2.84 6 -61.3% Decrease
64 The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Japan 3.22 2.83 19 -18.0% Decrease
65 Rigaku Corporation, Japan 2.09 2.63 15 17.4% Increase
66 University of Yamanashi, Japan 5.26 2.61 4 -53.7% Decrease
67 Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan 2.42 2.60 3 0.3% Increase
68 Kochi University of Technology, Japan 0.30 2.57 7 699.4% Increase
69 Chuo University, Japan 8.96 2.56 9 -73.4% Decrease
70 JEOL Ltd., Japan 2.35 2.54 18 0.8% Increase
71 Saitama University, Japan 2.52 2.52 7 -6.8% Decrease
72 Yokohama National University (YNU), Japan 5.56 2.51 5 -57.9% Decrease
73 Gakushuin University, Japan 3.07 2.46 4 -25.4% Decrease
74 Niigata University, Japan 2.78 2.37 7 -20.6% Decrease
75 Toin University of Yokohama, Japan 0.07 2.30 3 2,903.2% Increase
76 Kansai University, Japan 2.81 2.24 6 -25.5% Decrease
77 Meiji Pharmaceutical University, Japan 0.53 2.18 4 281.0% Increase
78 Kindai University, Japan 4.37 2.17 7 -53.8% Decrease
79 Doshisha University, Japan 3.63 2.15 3 -44.7% Decrease
80 Yamaguchi University, Japan 1.58 2.00 4 17.4% Increase
81 Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Japan 4.19 1.99 10 -55.8% Decrease
82 Toho University, Japan 2.03 1.97 7 -9.5% Decrease
83 Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Japan 1.72 1.95 6 5.8% Increase
84 Mie University, Japan 1.35 1.92 2 32.3% Increase
85 National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS), Japan 0.88 1.86 5 97.7% Increase
86 Mitsubishi Group, Japan 1.56 1.75 10 4.4% Increase
87 Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Japan 2.40 1.73 2 -32.9% Decrease
88 University of Hyogo, Japan 5.16 1.72 10 -69.0% Decrease
89 Ryukoku University, Japan 0.00 1.65 3 0.0% Increase
90 University of Kitakyushu, Japan 0.49 1.63 3 206.8% Increase
91 Takasago International Corporation, Japan 0.80 1.61 2 87.4% Increase
92 Tokushima Bunri University, Japan 0.89 1.60 4 67.6% Increase
93 Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Japan 2.10 1.60 3 -28.8% Decrease
94 Showa Pharmaceutical University, Japan 0.05 1.60 2 2,884.6% Increase
95 Japan Fine Ceramics Center (JFCC), Japan 1.69 1.57 9 -13.3% Decrease
96 Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Japan 0.24 1.55 4 509.2% Increase
97 Panasonic Corporation, Japan 1.50 1.55 4 -3.5% Decrease
98 Shimane University, Japan 1.17 1.49 6 18.9% Increase
99 Nagasaki University, Japan 2.26 1.44 5 -40.3% Decrease
100 Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Japan 3.62 1.40 12 -63.8% Decrease

Footnote

Each year, the Nature Index publishes tables based on counts of high-quality research outputs in the previous calendar year. Users please note:

  1. The data behind the tables are based on a relatively small proportion of total research papers, they cover the natural sciences and health sciences only and outputs are non-normalized (that is, they don’t reflect the size of the country or institution, or its overall research output).
  2. The Nature Index is one indicator of institutional research performance. The metrics of Count and Share used to order Nature Index listings are based on an institution’s or country’s publication output in 145 natural-science and health-science journals. The journals were selected on reputation by an independent panel of leading scientists in their fields. The list is reviewed periodically and journals may be removed or added. Articles from eLife were no longer included in the Nature Index from 2023 after the journal changed its publishing model.
  3. Nature Index recognizes that many other factors must be taken into account when considering research quality and institutional performance; Nature Index metrics alone should not be used to assess institutions or individuals.
  4. Nature Index data and methods are transparent and available under a creative commons licence at nature.com/nature-index/.
  5. Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

The Nature Index database undergoes regular updating, corrections, adjustment of institutional hierarchies, and removal of retracted papers and thus the live website can differ from the frozen research leaders.