How many AI researchers are there in Japan?

As of October 2026, the index holds 13 788 researchers whose institution sits in Japan, 1.9% of everyone with a known country. Only people who published AI research are counted, which makes the figure a floor.

Where do you find AI researchers in Japan?

The University of Tokyo, 902, Kyoto University, 531, Tohoku University, 488. Their most common subject is Topic Modeling, 6.9% of the country's subject assignments.

What is Japan strongest in?

Advanced Vision and Imaging, at 1.4 times the world share.

Is the pool of AI researchers in Japan growing?

Yes, at the world's pace. Since 2024, 2 439 people in Japan published for the first time, against 1 454 over the three years before, a ratio of 1.7 where the world sits at 1.8.

AI researchers in Japan | Founding Hires

The short answer

By number of indexed researchers, Japan ranks 9th of 132 countries, with 13 788 profiles.

Information Retrieval and Search Behavior is the subject newcomers in Japan pick up fastest: 46 started on it since 2024, and its share of new entrants is 2.8 times its share in the previous window.

17% of the AI researchers indexed in Japan sit in a company rather than a university, 1.9 times the world share of 8.9%.

What stands out

Advanced Vision and Imaging is where Japan stands apart. 642 researchers, 2.4% of the country's total, against a world share of 1.8%.

Per million inhabitants, Japan has 111 AI researchers in the index against 88 worldwide, 1.3 times the world figure.

Subjects

The single most common subject is Topic Modeling, on which 6.9% of Japan's subject assignments fall.

Subject reports: Natural Language Processing Techniques, Multimodal Machine Learning Applications, Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis.

Subjects of 13 788 indexed researchers in Japan, OpenAlex taxonomy, one person can carry several subjects.
Subject	Researchers	Share here	Share worldwide
Topic Modeling	1 807	6.9%	7.9%
Natural Language Processing Techniques	1 287	4.9%	4.3%
Multimodal Machine Learning Applications	880	3.3%	3.9%
Advanced Neural Network Applications	747	2.8%	4.3%
Advanced Vision and Imaging	642	2.4%	1.8%
Generative Adversarial Networks and Image Synthesis	558	2.1%	2.6%
Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts	206	0.8%	0.3%
Interactive and Immersive Displays	200	0.8%	0.2%

Newcomers by year

Newcomers since 2024 number 2 439 in Japan, against 1 454 between 2021 and 2023: a ratio of 1.7, where the world sits at 1.8.

In 2025, the last full year, Japan gained 0.7 times as many new researchers as in an average year of the three before; the world figure is 0.8.

Researchers by year of first publication, up to 2025, the last full year indexed.
First publication	New in Japan	Share of the world's newcomers
2019	310	1.6%
2020	345	1.7%
2021	388	1.6%
2022	591	1.7%
2023	475	1.6%
2024	514	1.7%
2025	371	1.5%

Institutions

14% of the country's researchers sit in three institutions, led by The University of Tokyo.

The University of Tokyo is the largest, with 902 indexed researchers, 1.7 times Kyoto University behind it. One institution sets the tone for the country. Everyone else sits in places too small to name without pointing at individuals.

Largest institutions by indexed researchers, named from twenty people.
Institution	Researchers	Share of the country
The University of Tokyo	902	6.5%
Kyoto University	531	3.9%
Tohoku University	488	3.5%

Compared with its peers

Read against Italy and Canada, the two nearest countries by headcount, the differences are in the rates, not the totals. The gap that stands out is the researchers per million inhabitants: 111 here, below the 314 of those two. Reports: AI researchers in Italy, AI researchers in Canada.

Same measures, three countries of similar size.
	Japan	Italy	Canada
Researchers	13 788	13 285	16 164
Per million inhabitants	111	226	403
In a company	17%	4.7%	11%
Early career	39%	47%	52%
Newcomers, recent against previous window	1.7	1.2	1.6

Method

A country is where the institution sits, so someone who has moved and not yet published from the new address still counts at the old one. Counts move between two refreshes because the index grows every night. The method page sets out the sources and what each field leaves out.

Common questions

How many AI researchers are there in Japan?: As of October 2026, the index holds 13 788 researchers whose institution sits in Japan, 1.9% of everyone with a known country. Only people who published AI research are counted, which makes the figure a floor.
Where do you find AI researchers in Japan?: The University of Tokyo, 902, Kyoto University, 531, Tohoku University, 488. Their most common subject is Topic Modeling, 6.9% of the country's subject assignments.
What is Japan strongest in?: Advanced Vision and Imaging, at 1.4 times the world share.
Is the pool of AI researchers in Japan growing?: Yes, at the world's pace. Since 2024, 2 439 people in Japan published for the first time, against 1 454 over the three years before, a ratio of 1.7 where the world sits at 1.8.