2021 tables: Institutions - physical sciences - academic

The 2021 tables are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.

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# Institution Share 2019 Share 2020 Count 2020 Change in Adjusted Share* 2019–2020
1 The University of Tokyo (UTokyo), Japan 200.20 216.90 666 0.7%
2 Kyoto University, Japan 64.98 81.71 237 16.9%
3 Tohoku University, Japan 57.68 64.94 232 4.6%
4 Osaka University, Japan 44.89 43.35 191 -10.2%
5 Nagoya University, Japan 29.38 42.77 164 35.3%
6 Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), Japan 39.38 42.09 185 -0.7%
7 Kyushu University, Japan 27.91 25.94 128 -13.6%
8 Hokkaido University, Japan 20.79 25.25 72 12.9%
9 Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Japan 9.31 21.60 52 115.5%
10 Keio University, Japan 12.34 16.52 48 24.4%
11 University of Tsukuba, Japan 21.29 15.98 131 -30.3%
12 Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU), Japan 14.91 11.83 49 -26.3%
13 Waseda University, Japan 10.87 10.06 67 -14.0%
14 Tokyo University of Science (TUS), Japan 5.85 9.63 28 53.1%
15 Kobe University, Japan 7.04 9.38 76 23.9%
16 Hiroshima University (HU), Japan 6.84 8.38 55 13.9%
17 Chiba University, Japan 3.90 7.95 33 89.7%
18 The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Japan 6.54 7.49 67 6.5%
19 Okayama University, Japan 8.41 6.49 46 -28.3%
20 Kanazawa University (KU), Japan 3.92 6.13 19 45.4%
21 Tokyo Metropolitan University (TMU), Japan 3.18 5.48 73 59.9%
22 Shizuoka University, Japan 3.88 4.30 10 3.1%
23 Nagoya Institute of Technology (NITech), Japan 2.59 4.16 8 49.3%
24 Toyota Technological Institute (TTI), Japan 1.27 3.91 7 186.7%
25 Shinshu University (SU), Japan 4.44 3.80 58 -20.5%
26 Saitama University, Japan 2.58 3.42 12 23.3%
27 The University of Electro-Communications (UEC), Japan 3.65 3.39 11 -13.7%
28 Chuo University, Japan 0.71 3.18 7 316.8%
29 Gakushuin University, Japan 1.70 3.13 5 71.7%
30 Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), Japan 2.23 2.96 13 23.5%
31 Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan 4.29 2.81 7 -39.0%
32 Ritsumeikan University, Japan 4.85 2.63 9 -49.6%
33 Niigata University, Japan 2.19 2.62 18 10.8%
34 Yokohama National University (YNU), Japan 5.63 2.60 10 -57.0%
35 Kindai University, Japan 3.23 2.56 10 -26.5%
36 Ibaraki University, Japan 1.90 2.29 6 11.9%
37 Rikkyo University, Japan 1.96 2.11 19 0.3%
38 Gifu University, Japan 0.18 2.05 9 960.3%
39 Meiji Gakuin University, Japan 0.50 2.00 4 271.8%
40 Kochi University, Japan 0.46 1.84 13 270.8%
41 Kyoto Institute of Technology (KIT), Japan 1.00 1.83 2 70.4%
42 Nihon University, Japan 2.63 1.79 15 -36.7%
43 Ehime University, Japan 2.41 1.76 10 -32.0%
44 Hirosaki University, Japan 0.03 1.75 5 4810.2%
45 University of Toyama, Japan 0.85 1.70 8 86.9%
46 University of Hyogo, Japan 1.50 1.70 5 5.2%
47 Saga University, Japan 0.87 1.56 5 67.6%
48 Nagaoka University of Technology (NUT), Japan 0.86 1.42 3 53.6%
49 Sophia University, Japan 0.31 1.34 9 298.7%
50 Meiji University, Japan 1.28 1.33 8 -3.0%
51 Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan 2.59 1.27 7 -54.4%
52 Wakayama University, Japan 0.04 1.24 3 2672.5%
53 Tottori University, Japan 0.57 1.21 4 96.2%
54 Toin University of Yokohama, Japan 0.30 1.20 2 271.8%
55 Mie University, Japan 1.14 1.18 4 -3.6%
56 Gunma University, Japan 0.49 1.05 5 97.4%
57 Konan University, Japan 0.13 1.00 1 602.1%
57 Chubu University, Japan 0.32 1.00 2 192.1%
57 University of Shizuoka, Japan – 1.00 1 N/A
58 Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Japan 1.55 0.96 5 -42.2%
59 The University of Shiga Prefecture, Japan 0.45 0.89 2 85.7%
60 Yamaguchi University, Japan 0.34 0.88 3 139.5%
61 Yokohama City University (YCU), Japan 0.64 0.87 5 25.9%
62 Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT), Japan 0.47 0.85 8 66.0%
63 Chiba Institute of Technology, Japan 0.42 0.80 9 75.9%
64 Doshisha University, Japan – 0.80 3 N/A
65 Fukuoka University, Japan 0.17 0.79 4 339.8%
66 University of the Ryukyus, Japan 1.38 0.74 3 -49.7%
67 Toyo University, Japan 0.71 0.74 2 -3.4%
68 Tokai University, Japan 0.73 0.72 6 -8.2%
69 Fukushima University, Japan 0.83 0.67 2 -25.6%
69 Ryukoku University, Japan – 0.67 2 N/A
70 Yamagata University, Japan 4.38 0.66 15 -86.1%
71 Kumamoto University, Japan 0.24 0.65 6 149.9%
72 Kyoto Sangyo University, Japan 0.42 0.64 10 42.0%
73 Toho University, Japan 0.44 0.61 13 27.3%
74 Jichi Medical University, Japan – 0.60 1 N/A
75 Juntendo University, Japan 1.00 0.58 2 -45.8%
76 Shiga University of Medical Science (SUMS), Japan 0.75 0.57 2 -29.8%
77 Oita University, Japan – 0.56 6 N/A
78 National Institute of Technology, Ibaraki College, Japan 0.01 0.55 3 4461.0%
79 University of Miyazaki, Japan 0.78 0.54 11 -35.5%
80 Tokushima University, Japan 1.62 0.54 8 -68.9%
81 Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech), Japan 2.14 0.54 6 -76.6%
82 Shimane University, Japan 1.67 0.53 5 -70.6%
83 Akita University, Japan 0.45 0.53 3 7.5%
84 University of Yamanashi, Japan 1.21 0.52 4 -60.1%
85 Iwate University, Japan 0.35 0.51 4 38.2%
86 Miyagi University of Education, Japan 0.15 0.51 4 205.8%
87 Kochi University of Technology, Japan 0.10 0.50 2 364.7%
87 National Institute of Technology, Kumamoto College, Japan 0.50 0.50 1 -7.1%
88 Osaka Institute of Technology (OIT), Japan 0.50 0.48 2 -11.5%
89 Tokyo City University, Japan 0.54 0.45 6 -22.2%
90 The Open University of Japan, Japan 0.10 0.45 5 320.5%
91 Hosei University, Japan 0.26 0.43 5 55.3%
92 Meijo University, Japan 2.08 0.41 3 -81.7%
93 Strategic Planning Office for Regional Revitalization, Mie University, Japan – 0.40 1 N/A
93 International Christian University (ICU), Japan 0.68 0.40 1 -45.2%
94 Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Japan 2.17 0.34 2 -85.6%
95 National Institute of Technology, Kurume College, Japan 0.50 0.33 1 -38.0%
95 Meio University, Japan – 0.33 1 N/A
95 National Institute of Technology, Oshima College, Japan – 0.33 1 N/A
96 Kogakuin University, Japan 0.82 0.33 3 -63.0%
97 National Institute of Technology, Hachinohe College, Japan – 0.32 2 N/A
98 Kurume University, Japan – 0.32 1 N/A
99 Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Japan 0.10 0.31 6 185.6%
100 Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan 0.29 0.30 2 -2.7%

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 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 82 natural-science journals through 2022, in 2023 64 health-science journals were added to the Index. The 146 journals in the Nature Index were selected on reputation by an independent panel of leading scientists in their fields.
  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 annual tables.

*The change in adjusted Share accounts for the small annual variation in the total number of articles in Nature Index journals. Share values have been adjusted to 2022 levels to calculate the percentage change. For more information on the adjustment, please see the Adjusted metric explainer.


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