List of Waseda University people

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

This is a list of notable alumni, faculty, and students, from Waseda University. Those individuals who qualify for multiple categories have been placed under the section for which they are best known.

Prime ministers

• Tanzan Ishibashi (1956–1957)
• Noboru Takeshita (1987–1989)
• Toshiki Kaifu (1989–1991)
• Keizō Obuchi (1998–2000)
• Mikio Aoki (Acting: 2000-2000)
• Yoshirō Mori (2000–2001)
• Yasuo Fukuda (2007–2008)
• Yoshihiko Noda (2011–2012)
• Fumio Kishida (2021–2024)

Politics

• Nobuaki Futami
• Dr. Ashoka Ranwala – Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka (2024-)
• Takashi Hiraoka – Mayor of Hiroshima (1991–1999)
• Iccho Itoh – Mayor of Nagasaki (1995–2007)
• Yohei Kono - Speaker of the House of Representatives (2003-2009)
• Li Dazhao - co-founder of the Chinese Communist Party
• Hideo Higashikokubaru – Governor of Miyazaki Prefecture (2007-2011)
• Peng Pai - Chinese revolutionary
• Soichi Usui
• Hidehiko Noda
• Ichirō Kōno - Deputy Prime Minister (1964-1965)
• Bukichi Miki
• Hirohide Ishida
• Taro Hatoyama
• Kazumasa Okajima
• Fukushiro Nukaga
• Masahide Ota - Governor of Okinawa Prefecture (1990-1998)
• Hiroshige Seko
• Mosaburo Suzuki - 2nd chairman of the Japan Socialist Party (1955-1960)
• Tsutomu Takebe
• Makiko Tanaka - First female foreign minister of Japan
• Kisaburo Tokai
• Kiyomi Tsujimoto
• Kozo Watanabe
• Yoshimi Watanabe
• Yuji Yamamoto
• Taku Yamasaki
• Tōru Hashimoto – Mayor of Osaka and Osaka Restoration Association president
• Inejiro Asanuma – 3rd chairman of Japan Socialist Party

Diplomats

• Chiune Sugihara
• Tsuneo Koizumi
• Katsuhiko Oku – rugby player and diplomat, promoted posthumously to ambassador

Business leaders

• Takeo Fukui – CEO of Honda
• Norio Sasaki – CEO of Toshiba
• Soichiro Fukutake – president of Benesse
• Shuntaro Furukawa – president of Nintendo
• Masaru Ibuka – co-founder of Sony, recipient of the Order of Culture
• Nobuyuki Idei – ex-CEO of Sony
• Masafumi Miyamoto – founder of Square
• Yasujiro Tsutsumi
• Yoshiaki Tsutsumi
• Michael Kogan – founder of Taito
• Lee Byung-chul – Founder of Samsung
• Lee Kun-hee – current chairman of Samsung
• Kenichi Ohmae – founder and ex-Senior Partner of McKinsey & Co's Japan office
• Isao Okawa – ex-chairman of Sega
• Park Tae-joon – founder and chairman of Pohang Iron & Steels Corp, POSCO
• Masamitsu Sakurai – chairman of Ricoh, chairman of Japan Association of Corporate Executives
• Mikio Sasaki – chairman of Mitsubishi
• Shin Kyuk-Ho – founder and chairman of Lotte Group
• Shunsaku Tamiya – chairman of Tamiya Corporation
• Yoshiaki Tsutsumi – founder of Seibu Railway
• Hiroshi Yamauchi – president of Nintendo
• Tadashi Yanai – CEO of Fast Retailing and Uniqlo
• Kim Sang-hong - former chairman of Samyang Food Group
• Lee Dong-chan - founder and former chairman of Kolon Industries Group
• Cho Suk-rae - founder and former chairman of Hyosung Group
• Choi Doo-sun - former president of Dong-A Ilbo

Academics

• Kohki Abe – human rights activist and Dean of Kanagawa University School of Law
• Koji Aikyo – law professor at Nagoya University
• Hitoshi Arai – mathematician, professor at University of Tokyo
• Kanichi Asakawa – historian, professor at Yale University
• Shin Chiba – professor of political science at International Christian University
• Kunio Doi – professor of radiology at the University of Chicago [1]
• Hidenori Fujita – educational sociologist, former professor at University of Tokyo, currently professor at International Christian University
• Toshio Fukuda – scholar of robotics, professor at Nagoya University
• Kunio Anzai
• Tatsuo Taniguchi
• Kazuhito Koizumi – medical doctor
• Hideo Furuido – scholar of theatre arts, professor at University of Tokyo
• Tatsuro Hanada – sociologist of media, professor at University of Tokyo, currently professor at Waseda
• Kazuomi Hirakawa – geographer, professor at Hokkaido University
• Takebumi Itagaki – professor of Computer Architecture at Brunel University
• Takehiko Kamo (1942–1996) – professor of political science at Waseda University and University of Tokyo
• Kang Sang-jung – scholar of history of political thought, professor at University of Tokyo
• Heita Kawakatsu – scholar of economic history, professor at International Research Center for Japanese Studies, president of Shizuoka University of Art and Culture
• Toshihide Kobayashi – Chief Scientist at the RIKEN Advanced Science Institute [2]
• Hideo Kuroda – historian, professor emeritus at University of Tokyo
• Tien-Min Li – Chinese political historian
• Ichiro Masaki – director of the Intelligent Transportation Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology [3]
• Masako Mitamura – scholar of Japanese literature, The Tale of Genji expert, professor at Ferris University
• Tsunetsugu Muraoka (1884–1946) – scholar of history of Japanese philosophy, professor at Tohoku University
• Masahiro Nei – professor of history of economic thought at Kyoto University
• Yoshio Nishi – professor of electrical engineering at Stanford University, the 2002 IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal recipient [4]
• Toyohiro Nishimoto – archaeologist, professor at National Museum of Japanese History
• Ikujiro Nonaka – scholar of management, Knowledge Management theorist, co-author of The Knowledge-Creating Company, visiting professor at University of California, Berkeley
• Katsuyuki Shibayama – Financial Economics Scholar and Academic at the University of Kent
• Tetsuo Owada – historian, professor at Shizuoka University
• Shojiro Sakaguchi – law scholar, professor at Hitotsubashi University
• Minoru Sekishita – professor of economics at Ritsumeikan University
• Ryūsaku Tsunoda (1877–1964) – lecturer of Japanese studies at Columbia University
• Ginzo Uchida (1872–1919) – scholar of economic history, professor at Kyoto University
• Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid – leading Malaysian academician
• Masayoshi Watanabe – professor at Yokohama National University
• Saburo Yamada (1869–1965) – scholar of private international law, professor at University of Tokyo
• Tokuo Yamamoto – professor of applied marine physics at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science at the University of Miami; recipient of the 2008 Alan Berman Research Publication Award [5]
• Djakiah Bawie (1922–1988) – Head scientist and Nuclear Physicist of Indonesia's National Nuclear Agency; former Docent of Physics at University of Indonesia
• Sakuji Yoshimura – Egyptologist, president of Cyber University

Authors

• Kunikida Doppo
• Taichi Yamada – screenwriter, novelist
• Maki Fukazawa – columnist
• Jun Henmi
• Masuji Ibuse*
• Masahiko Katsuya – columnist
• Hakushū Kitahara*
• Akira Kojima – manga artist
• Lee Hoesung
• Taku Miki – poet, novelist, translator
• Eto Mori
• Manabu Miyazaki*
• Megumi Mizusawa – manga artist
• Haruki Murakami – novelist, translator, writer, recipient of Franz Kafka Prize
• Kim Nae-sung – Korean author
• Kōgo Noda – screenwriter
• Yōko Ogawa – novelist
• Ichirō Ōkouchi – novelist, screenwriter
• Ototake Hirotada – sports writer
• Edogawa Rampo
• Hisae Sawaji
• Taneda Santoka*
• Yoko Tawada
• Tawara Machi
• Shuji Terayama*
• Miho Toshima
• Yajima Teruo*
• Yokomitsu Riichi*
• Risa Wataya
• Hisashi Yamanaka
• Hiroyuki Yoshino
• Rie Yoshiyuki

Journalists

• Soichiro Tawara
• Yoh Henmi
• Satoshi Kamata
• Chang Deok-soo

Performing arts

• Saeko – actress, model
• Kohei Ando – Video artist and experimental filmmaker
• Sharon Au – Singaporean actress, comedian and television presenter
• Rokusuke Ei – composer
• Naohito Fujiki – actor
• Yasuharu Hasebe – film director
• Mitsuhiro Hidaka – singer
• Ryōko Hirosue* – actress
• Toshiharu Ikeda – film director
• Shohei Imamura – film director, winner of two Palme d'Or awards at the Cannes Film Festival
• LaSalle Ishii* – comedian
• Akio Jissoji – film director
• Jyongri – singer
• Hitomi Kamanaka – film director
• Seiji Kameda – composer, producer
• Morio Kazama – actor
• Kinya Kitaoji – actor
• Hifumi Kato – Shogi player
• Demon Kogure – singer, sumo commentator
• Yoshio Kojima – comedian
• Shōji Kōkami – playwright, director, filmmaker
• Tetsuya Komuro* – musician
• Hirokazu Koreeda – film director
• Tatsumi Kumashiro – film director
• Matsumoto Kōshirō IX – kabuki actor
• Keisuke Minami – stage actor, model
• Tetsuya Murakami – musician, member of The Gospellers
• Shigeru Muroi* – actress
• Kie Nakai – actress
• Yuichi Nakamaru – actor, singer (member of KAT-TUN), distantly attending
• Kichitaro Negishi – film director
• Kazumasa Oda – musician, former member of Off Course
• Kohei Oguri – film director
• Kyosen Ōhashi – TV host and writer
• Eiichi Otaki – musician
• Masato Sakai* – actor
• Yuji Sakai – musician, member of The Gospellers
• Bunta Sugawara – actor
• Sunplaza Nakano* – musician
• Tamori* – comedian and television presenter
• Yuya Tegoshi – actor, singer (member of NEWS), distantly attending
• Shinya Ueda – comedian, member of Cream Stew
• Ken Utsui – actor
• Yutaka Yasuoka – musician, member of The Gospellers
• Sayuri Yoshinaga – actress
• Kota Yabu – actor, singer (member of Hey! Say! JUMP)
• Yoko Kanno – composer
• Hiromu Komagome – singer, composer (member of Root Five)
• Nao Tōyama – voice actress, singer
• Saori Hayami – voice actress, singer
• Aoi Yūki – voice actress, singer
• Yuuki Ono – voice actor, singer
• Kouki Uchiyama – actor, voice actor
• Sōma Saitō – voice actor, singer
• Shimizu Kunio – playwright
• Ichirō Ōkouchi – screenwriter, novelist, winner of two best screenplay awards at the Tokyo Anime Award festival.
• Yamada Tamaru — singer/songwriter
• Edmund Yeo – Malaysian film director
• Jerome Polin - YouTubers

Scientists

• Shingo Futamura - rubber industry scientist

Sports

Baseball

• Tatsuro Hirooka
• Norichika Aoki
• Kenichi Yazawa
• Hiroo Ishii
• Kunikazu Ogawa
• Akira Ejiri
• Soroku Yagisawa
• Tamotsu Kimura
• Toru Mori
• Akinobu Okada – former manager for the Hanshin Tigers
• Hiroyasu Tanaka
• Takashi Toritani
• Tsuyoshi Wada
• Masumi Kuwata
• Yuki Saitō

Figure skating

• Shizuka Arakawa – 2006 Winter Olympics gold medalist
• Rena Inoue – Pairs skater
• Yukari Nakano
• Fumie Suguri
• Yuzuru Hanyu – Men's singles figure skater, 2014, 2018 Winter Olympics gold medalist and two-times world champion

Football

• Kunishige Kamamoto
• Saburo Kawabuchi – ex-President of Japan football association and ex-Chairman of Japan professional soccer league
• Yuki Soma

Martial arts

• Negishi Yuichi – Chief Instructor Waseda University Karatedo Shitokai Club
• Yoriko Okamoto – taekwondo, 2000 Sydney Olympics bronze medalist
• Kisshomaru Ueshiba
• Mitsusuke Harada – head of KDS
• Shigeru Egami – founder of Shōtōkai karate
• Tsutomu Ohshima – Chief Instructor of Shotokan Karate of America
• Kenji Tomiki – judo and aikido, founder of Shodokan Aikido
• Hironori Ōtsuka – founder of Wadō-ryū karate
• AnnMaria De Mars – 1984 Judo World Champion

Rugby

• Katsuyuki Kiyomiya – player and coach
• Hiroaki Shukuzawa – player and coach
• Ayumu Goromaru
• Yoshikazu Fujita

Swimming

• Natsumi Hoshi – Olympic bronze medalist
• Toshio Irie – Olympic silver medalist
• Shozo Makino – Olympic silver medalist
• Yoshihiko Osaki – Olympic silver medalist
• Masato Sakai – Olympic silver medalist
• Daiya Seto – Olympic bronze medalist
• Katsuo Takaishi – Olympic bronze medalist
• Tsuyoshi Yamanaka – Olympic silver medalist

Volleyball

• Yoko Zetterlund – former player of United States women's national volleyball team
• Ryuta Homma – former roster of men's national volleyball team and active in V.League Division 1 player for JTEKT Stings
• Taichi Fukuyama – former roster of men's national volleyball team and active V.League Division 1 Player for JTEKT Stings
• Yuto Fujinaka – former roster of Japan U-21 and U-23 national volleyball team and currently active in V.League Division 1
• Mitsuki Kobayashi – former roster of Japan U-21 and universiade national team, competing in 2019 Summer Universiade. Currently active in V.League Division 1
• Kento Miyaura – current roster of men's national volleyball team and player for Paris Volley
• Tatsunori Otsuka – current roster of men's national volleyball team and active V.League Division 1 player for Panasonic Panthers

Miscellaneous

• Hajime Itoi
• Suishu Tobita — so-called "God of Japanese baseball"
• Toshihisa Nishi
• Motoi Onuki
• Keijiro Matsumoto
• Mikio Oda – athletics, Japan's first Olympic gold medalist
• Kenji Ogiwara – Nordic combined, 1992/1994 Winter Olympics gold medalist
• Michito Sakaki – Australian rules football
• Jiro Sato – tennis
• Takuma Sato* – Formula One driver
• Toshihiko Seko – marathon runner
• Ōnishiki Uichirō – sumo, 26th yokozuna
• Ai Fukuhara – table tennis
• Yu Hirayama – badminton
• Kenta Matsudaira – table tennis
• Suguru Osako – long-distance runner

Other

• Einosuke Akiya – 5th president of Soka Gakkai
• Nancy Andrew – translator, junior year, 1967–1968
• Akihito Hirose - Professional shogi player, former Ōi title holder.
• Yuji Horii – video game designer
• Tomonobu Itagaki – video game designer, School of Law, 1985–92
• Katsuhiro Harada – video game designer
• Yuichi Matsushima – electrical engineer
• Taichi Nakamura - Professional shogi player, current Ōza title holder.
• Tensai Okamura – director
• Kyohei Sakaguchi
• Yoshio Shirai
• Shizuo Tsuji

Notable current students

Sports

• Tatsuki Machida – Figure skater
• Shingo Nishiyama – Figure skater
• Rika Kihira – Figure skater
• Miyabi Onitsuka – Snowboarder
• Kanako Watanabe – Swimmer
• Ippei Watanabe – Swimmer
• Tatsunori Otsuka – Men's national volleyball player, being a part of 2020 Olympics men's tournament

Performing arts

• Jyongri – singer
• Natsuki Sato – idol singer, former member of AKB48
• Yui Ogura – voice actor, roles include Toki Onjōji (Saki Achiga-hen Episode of Side-A)

Notable faculty members

• Yaichi Aizu, poet, scholar of ancient Chinese and Japanese art, and namesake of Aizu Museum
• Tameyuki Amano, economics scholar and educator
• Kohei Ando, Professor Emeritus of Cinema
• Yasunobu Fujiwara, scholar of political science
• Lafcadio Hearn, novelist, literary scholar, professor of English literature
• Smimasa Idditti (Sumimasa Idichi ), professor of English
• Kenji Imai, architect
• Tokio Kimura, historian
• Kunitake Kume, historian
• Tachu Naito, architect
• Naoyoshi Nakamura, historian
• Haruo Nishihara, law professor, former president
• Takayasu Okushima, law professor, former president
• Hajime Ōnishi, philosopher
• Ikuo Ōyama, scholar of political science
• Yaso Saijo, poet
• Masasada Shiozawa, scholar of economics, former president
• Sanae Takata, scholar of political science, former president
• Ōdō Tanaka, philosopher
• Shoyo Tsubouchi, playwright, critic, translator, educator, professor of English literature, and namesake of Tsubouchi Memorial Theater Museum
• Sokichi Tsuda, historian, recipient of the Order of Culture
• Kazutami Ukita, scholar of political science
• Shujiro Urata, economist
• Yoshio Yamanouchi, translator, scholar of French literature
• Akira Yonekura, law professor
• Takamasa Yoshizaka, architect

Principals, de facto presidents (1907–1923), and presidents

Principals

• Hidemaro Ōkuma, 1882–1886
• Hisoka Maejima, 1886–1890
• Kazuo Hatoyama, 1890–1907

De facto presidents (1907–1923)

• Sanae Takata, 1907–1915
• Tameyuki Amano, 1915–1917
• Yoshiro Hiranuma, 1918–1921
• Masasada Shiozawa, 1921–1923

Presidents

• Shigenobu Ōkuma, 1907–1922
• Masasada Shiozawa, 1923
• Sanae Takata, 1923–1931
• Hozumi Tanaka (public finance scholar, Doctor of Laws, 1876—1944), 1931–1944
• Tomio Nakano, 1944–1946
• Koichi Shimada, 1946–1954
• Nobumoto Ōhama, 1954–1966
• Kenichi Abe, 1966–1968
• Tsunesaburo Tokikoyama, 1968–1970
• Sukenaga Murai, 1970–1978
• Tsukasa Shimizu, 1978–1982
• Haruo Nishihara, 1982–1990
• Chūmaru Koyama, 1990–1994
• Takayasu Okushima, 1994–2002
• Katsuhiko Shirai, 2002–2010
• Kaoru Kamata, 2010–Present

Trustees

• Ryuhoku Narushima, poet, journalist, and one of the first trustees of Waseda
• Azusa Ono (1852–1886), law scholar and one of the first trustees of Waseda

Benefactors

Waseda University has had numerous benefactors, including:

• Eiichi Shibusawa, businessman and philanthropist
• Ichizaemon Morimura, businessman
• Koichiro Kagami, businessman
• Kenkichi Kodera, presenter of over thirty-six thousand foreign books to the Library
• Kisaku Maekawa, businessman and philanthropist
• Masaru Ibuka, after whom Masaru Ibuka Auditorium (Hall) is named.
• Robert J. Shillman, founder & CEO of Cognex Corporation, namesake of Robert Shillman Hall

External links

• Waseda University Alumni Association (WUAA) website