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Chronology

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Tokyo Imperial University, 1900
1876 Tokyo Igakko transferred to Hongo, the present location of the University
1877 The University established as Tokyo Daigaku consisting of four departments: Law, Science, Literature and Medicine, and incorporating three institutions: Shoheiko (Japanese and Chinese Literature, established 1789), Yogakusho (Occidental Studies, established 1855) and Shutosho (Vaccinations, established 1860)
1886 The name of Tokyo Daigaku (Tokyo University) changed to Teikoku Daigaku (Imperial University)
Absorbed Kobu Daigakko (Engineering College), resulting in five departments
1890   Established Tokyo Norin Gakko (Agriculture and Dendrology College), resulting in six colleges
1897 Name changed to Tokyo Teikoku Daigaku (Tokyo Imperial University) to distinguish it from the institution founded at this time in Kyoto

Taisho Period (1912-1926)

Yasuda Auditorium Framework Completion Ceremony, 1924
Yasuda Auditorium Framework
Completion Ceremony, 1924
1916 Institute for Infectious Diseases added
1919 Colleges became known as Faculties by virtue of Imperial Ordinance
Faculty of Economics established, resulting in seven Faculties
1921 Aeronautical Research Institute established
Tokyo Astronomical Observatory established

Showa Period (1926-1989)

Komaba Track and Field Stadium, circa 1935
Komaba Track and
Field Stadium, c. 1935
1942 Second Faculty of Engineering instituted (continued until 1951)
1946 Postwar expansion affecting the University Hospital, Branch Hospital, Marine Biological Station, Botanical Gardens, University Forests, Experimental Farm, Fisheries Laboratory, Engineering Research Institute, etc.
Institute of Social Science established
1947 School Education Law promulgated
Co-education introduced
Name of the University changed from Tokyo Teikoku Daigaku to Tokyo Daigaku (The University of Tokyo)
1949 Former University Ordinance and other related laws repealed; under new School Education Law Tokyo Daigaku incorporated former Tokyo Imperial University and attached Medical College; reorganized on a four-year undergraduate basis with the exception of a six-year program for Medicine
College of General Education formed amalgamating Daiichi Koto Gakko and Tokyo Koto Gakko and offering general education to all freshmen and sophomore degree candidates; First matriculation of College of General Education under new system took place in July
Faculty of Education evolved out of the Faculty of Letters resulting in nine faculties
Earthquake Research Institute added
Institute for Oriental Culture established
Institute of Industrial Science established
Institute of Social Science established
Institute of Journalism opened
1950 Historiographical Institute established
1953 Prototype of present graduate system comprising five graduate schools inaugurated (continued until March 1963)
Institute of Applied Microbiology and Cosmic Ray Laboratory established
1955 Institute for Nuclear Study established
1957 Institute for Solid State Physics established
1962 Ocean Research Institute established
1963 Graduate School system reorganized to comprise eight graduate schools
1965 Graduate School system reorganized to comprise ten graduate schools
1966 University Museum, Computer Centre and Health Centre established
1967 Cryogenic Center established
Name of Institute for Infectious Disease changed to Institute of Medical Science
1970 Radioisotope Center (currently the Isotope Science Center) established
1972 Research Center for Nuclear Science and Technology established
Educational Computer Center established
1975 Environmental Science Center established
1981 Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science transferred
Institute of Interdisciplinary Research established
1983 Laboratory of Molecular Genetics established
Name of Research Center for Library and Information Science changed to Center for Bibliographic Information
1985 Japanese Language Center for Foreign Students established
1986 Center for Bibliographic Information transferred
1987 Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology established
1988 Tokyo Astronomical Observatory transferred
Institute of Interdisciplinary Research abolished

Heisei Period (1989-2019)

The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa Campus (established in 1998)
The University of Tokyo,
Kashiwa Campus (established in 1998)
1990 Name of the Japanese Language Center for Foreign Students changed to the International Center
1991 Center for Climate System Research established
1992 Division of Mathematical Sciences became an independent division to result in twelve graduate schools within the Graduate School system
The name of the Institute of Journalism and Communication Studies changed to the Institute of Socio-Information and Communication Studies
Research into Artifacts, Center for Engineering established
1993 Name of Institute of Applied Microbiology changed to Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences
Biotechnology Research Center established
1994 International Center for Elementary Particle Physics established
Name of the Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences changed to the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences
1995 Asian Natural Environmental Science Center established
Division of Sociology abolished
Division of Humanities restructured and renamed the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology
1996 Structure of the University Museum changed
Center for Research and Development of Higher Education established
Center for Collaborative Research established
VLSI Design and Education Center established
Administration Bureau unified with Student Affairs Department (Research Management and International Affairs Department established, and General Affairs Department's Japanese name changed)
1997 Institute for Nuclear Study abolished (and changed to High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, a facility open to all scholars in Japan)
The process of placing emphasis on graduate school completed
1998 Graduate School of Frontier Sciences established
Komaba Open Laboratory established
Center for Spatial Information Science established
1999 Research Center for Advanced Economic Engineering established
High Temperature Plasma Center established
Name of Educational Computer Centre and Computer Centre changed to Information Technology Center
2000 Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies established
Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies established
International Research Center for Medical Education established
Institute for Cosmic Ray Research and Institute for Solid State Physics moved to the Kashiwa Campus
2001 Branch Hospital merged into the University Hospital
Graduate School of Information Science and Technology established
Institute of Industrial Science relocation to the Komaba Campus completed
2002 School of Nursing and School of Midwives closed
Professor Emeritus Masatoshi Koshiba awarded the 2002 Nobel Prize for Physics
2003 Animal Center for Biomedical Research abolished
Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine established
The Charter of The University of Tokyo enacted
2004 All National Universities transformed into National University Corporations; The University of Tokyo incorporated as a National University Corporation
Graduate School of Public Policy established
Institute of Socio-Information and Communication Studies abolished (became part of the Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies/Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies)
Research Center for Advanced Economic Engineering abolished (became part of the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology)
Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology changed into an Institution attached to the University
2005 Research Center for Nuclear Science and Technology abolished (became part of the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Management, the Graduate School of Engineering)
The University of Tokyo Beijing Office established
The University of Tokyo Action Plan published
2007 Todai-Yale Initiative established
The University of Tokyo 130th anniversary celebrations
2009 Former Health Service Center abolished; Division of Health Service Promotion established
2010 Former International Center abolished; Division of International Affairs established (International Centers and the Center for Japanese Language Education)
Ocean Research Institute and Center for Climate System Research reformed to establish the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute
Names of central administrative bodies changed to departments and groups
2011 The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS) established
2012 The University of Tokyo India Office established in Bangalore
2013 UTokyo Policy Alternatives Research Institute established as a University-wide center
2015 Professor Takaaki Kajita wins the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics
The University of Tokyo's action plan Vision 2020 published
The University of Tokyo India Office relocated to New Delhi
2016 Center for Research and Development on Transition from Secondary to Higher Education established
2017 UTokyo named as a Designated National University
2018 Division of International Affairs reformed to establish the Division for Global Campus Initiatives

Reiwa Period (2019-)

2021 “UTokyo Compass” released
2022 The University of Tokyo Pandemic preparedness, Infection and Advanced research Center (UTOPIA) established
2023 Center for Global Education established


 
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