Chuo University

Chuo University was first founded in Tokyo in 1885, and was originally known as the English Law School, owing to many of the university’s founders having studied at the Middle Temple in London. The university was later renamed Chuo University, Chuo meaning middle in the Japanese language. As its former name would suggest, the university was originally founded with an exclusive focus on law and legislation, and this still forms a core part of the university’s teaching today. The university has diversified its academic portfolio significantly in recent years, however, with a number of new faculties being introduced covering a wider range of subject areas including economics, science and policy studies. In total, the university operates six faculties alongside eight graduate schools. In addition to these teaching facilities, the university has also maintained a focus on research, with nine research institutions covering a range of academic fields from engineering and sports science to economics and accounting. Chuo University has also made efforts to attract international students who wish to study in Japan. As well as offering exchange programs with a number of universities, and providing extensive support for students in order to better enable them to adapt to the Japanese way of life, the university also runs a summer camp for international students to allow them to experience Japan without having to commit to a full semester of study. Many of Chuo University’s most famous alumni have made their name in law, with a number of Japanese Supreme Court justices having studied there. In addition, the former Japanese prime minister Toshiki Kaifu is also an alumnus of the university.