As of 2013, there were 86 national universities ( 国立大学 , kokuritsu daigaku ) , 90 public universities and 606 private universities in Japan . National universities tend to be held in higher regard in higher education in Japan than private or public universities.
139-741: The University of Tokyo ( 東京大学 , Tōkyō daigaku , abbreviated as Tōdai (東大) in Japanese and UTokyo in English) is a public research university in Bunkyō , Tokyo , Japan . Founded in 1877 as the nation's first modern university by the merger of several pre-westernisation era institutions, its direct precursors include the Tenmongata , founded in 1684, and the Shoheizaka Institute. Although established under its current name,
278-828: A fair trial . The English monarchs, through inheritance of substantial territories in France and claims to the French crown, were also heavily involved in conflicts in France, most notably the Hundred Years' War , while the Kings of Scots were in an alliance with the French during this period. Early modern Britain saw religious conflict resulting from the Reformation and the introduction of Protestant state churches in each country. The English Reformation ushered in political, constitutional, social and cultural change in
417-521: A subpolar oceanic climate . Higher elevations in Scotland experience a continental subarctic climate and the mountains experience a tundra climate . The prevailing wind is from the southwest and bears frequent spells of mild and wet weather from the Atlantic Ocean, although the eastern parts are mostly sheltered from this wind. Since the majority of the rain falls over the western regions,
556-604: A welfare state was established, and a comprehensive, publicly funded healthcare system, the National Health Service , was created. The rise of nationalism in the colonies coincided with Britain's much-diminished economic position, so that a policy of decolonisation was unavoidable. Independence was granted to India and Pakistan in 1947. Over the next three decades, most colonies of the British Empire gained their independence, and many became members of
695-655: A capacity of 1,210 beds, the hospital facilitated medical services for 389,830 inpatients and 794,454 outpatients in the fiscal year 2010. Newsweek 's World's Best Hospitals 2023 ranks it 17th in the world, 2nd in Asia, and 1st in Japan. It serves as the primary hospital for the Imperial Family of Japan , with both the current emperor and the emperor emeritus having undergone major operations there. The University of Tokyo operates eight museums, three of which fall under
834-651: A doctor. The conflict intensified with the indefinite strike decision by the students in January 1968 and escalated further following a clash between the students and faculty. Tensions peaked when radical students, most of whom were members of the Zenkyōtō (the All-Campus Joint Struggle Committees), occupied Yasuda Auditorium , leading the university to eventually call in riot police in June—
973-534: A five-year programme called the College of Design. The programme aims to 'redefine design as a broad concept (...) based on interdisciplinary knowledge that integrates the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering and other fields'. Approximately 100 students will be matriculated annually, with half of them coming from overseas. A wider variety of postgraduate programmes are offered in English, making
1112-482: A foreign language, Advanced Japanese, and two social studies subjects (options are geography, Japanese history and world history). UTokyo is also known to be the only university that requires all applicants, including those who wish to study natural sciences, to take a non-mulltiple-choice Japanese and Chinese classics exam. Some applicants are called upon to take an interview. Successful candidates are notified in March of
1251-747: A four-year university as it is today in 1949. One of the higher schools that merged with UTokyo, the First Higher School , became the College of Arts and Sciences . This new college, operating on the same campus of Komaba as the higher school, took on the responsibility of educating all undergraduates for the first year and a half of their degrees. It was also during this period that UTokyo first opened its doors to female students. The first nineteen female students were matriculated in April 1946. The 1960s saw an intensification of student protests across
1390-816: A land border with the Republic of Ireland ; otherwise, the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , the North Sea , the English Channel , the Celtic Sea , and the Irish Sea . The United Kingdom had an estimated population of over 68.2 million people in 2023. The capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom is London , whose wider metropolitan area is
1529-399: A leading role in the movement to abolish slavery worldwide through the blockade of Africa and pressing other nations to end their trade with a series of treaties. In 1800 the parliaments of Great Britain and Ireland each passed an Act of Union, uniting the two kingdoms and creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1801. After the defeat of France at the end of
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#17328013330821668-479: A move seen as abandoning university autonomy. Efforts to resolve the situation began with the resignation of university executives and the appointment of Ichiro Kato as interim president, who started negotiations. The conflict largely ended in January 1969 after a full-scale police operation to remove the occupying students. This operation involved more than 8,500 riot police officers confronting students who fought back with Molotov cocktails and marble stones taken from
1807-853: A policy of splendid isolation in Europe, and attempted to contain Russian influence in Afghanistan and Persia , in what came to be known as the Great Game . During this time, Canada , Australia and New Zealand were granted self-governing dominion status. At the turn of the century, Britain's industrial dominance became challenged by the German Empire and the United States . The Edwardian era saw social reform and home rule for Ireland become important domestic issues, while
1946-507: A result of a shortage of workers in the 1950s, the government encouraged immigration from Commonwealth countries . In the following decades, the UK became a more multi-ethnic society. Despite rising living standards in the late 1950s and 1960s, the UK's economic performance was less successful than many of its main competitors such as France, West Germany and Japan. The UK was the first democratic nation to lower its voting age to 18 in 1969. In
2085-811: A series of connected wars (including the English Civil War ) which led to the temporary overthrow of the monarchy, with the execution of King Charles I , and the establishment of the short-lived unitary republic of the Commonwealth of England , Scotland and Ireland. Although the monarchy was restored , the Interregnum along with the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the subsequent Bill of Rights 1689 in England and Claim of Right Act 1689 in Scotland ensured that, unlike much of
2224-610: A total of 13,974 undergraduate students and 14,258 graduate students. The majority of the university's educational and research facilities are concentrated within its three main Tokyo campuses: Hongo , Komaba , and Kashiwa . Additionally, UTokyo operates several smaller campuses in the Greater Tokyo Area and over 60 facilities across Japan and globally. UTokyo's total land holdings amount to 326 square kilometres (approximately 80,586 acres or 32,600 hectares), placing it amongst
2363-407: A turbulent chapter in the university's history. The university first admitted female students in 1946. While the student body has remained predominantly male, various attempts have been made to achieve a more equal gender ratio. In 2023, women made up 23 per cent of first-year undergraduates, the highest percentage in the university's history. A quarter of graduate students were female in 2022. When
2502-421: A year, with classes formed based on their choices. Popular languages include Chinese, French, German, Korean, Spanish, and Russian. These classes are meant to be places where students can interact with peers from different backgrounds and forge long-lasting friendships, especially because they spend a considerable amount of time together. There is a tradition where the previous year's class ( 上クラ , uekura ) invites
2641-714: Is difficult to achieve. To apply, candidates must achieve high scores in the Common Test for University Admissions , a standardised multiple-choice examination. UTokyo applicants are required to take at least seven subjects in this examination. Applicants for natural sciences take two mathematics tests, Japanese (which consists of modern language, classics, and Chinese classics), one foreign language, sciences (two from physics, chemistry, biology, and geology), and one social study subject chosen from geography, Japanese history, or world history. Humanities candidates take two social studies subjects and one science subject instead. Based on
2780-481: Is only the one specific nominal term 'Great Britain' which invariably excludes Northern Ireland". The BBC historically preferred to use "Britain" as shorthand only for Great Britain, though the present style guide does not take a position except that "Great Britain" excludes Northern Ireland. The adjective "British" is commonly used to refer to matters relating to the United Kingdom and is used in law to refer to United Kingdom citizenship and nationality . People of
2919-538: Is ranked 2nd out of 180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index . A law has been passed that UK greenhouse gas emissions will be net zero by 2050. England accounts for 53 per cent of the UK, covering 50,350 square miles (130,395 km ). Most of the country consists of lowland terrain, with upland and mountainous terrain northwest of the Tees–Exe line which roughly divides
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#17328013330823058-599: Is sometimes used as a loose synonym for the United Kingdom as a whole. The word England is occasionally used incorrectly to refer to the United Kingdom as a whole, a mistake principally made by people from outside the UK. The term "Britain" is used as a synonym for Great Britain , but also sometimes for the United Kingdom. Usage is mixed: the UK Government prefers to use the term "UK" rather than "Britain" or "British" on its website (except when referring to embassies), while acknowledging that both terms refer to
3197-579: Is the Isle of Wight . Scotland accounts for 32 per cent of the UK, covering 30,410 square miles (78,772 km ). This includes nearly 800 islands , notably the Hebrides , Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands. Scotland is the most mountainous constituent country of the UK, the Highlands to the north and west are the more rugged region containing the majority of Scotland's mountainous land, including
3336-541: Is the oldest university newspaper still in operation, with its first issue in 1920. The editing committee of the newspaper has produced multiple central figures in the country's publishing industry. Recruit , a human resources company with the 13th largest market capitalisation among all publicly traded companies in the country as of March 2024, spun off from the Todai Shimbun 's advertisement branch in 1961. There are several other newer campus newspapers and magazines,
3475-429: Is the primary fundraising arm of the university, and it accepts both endowments for the university as a whole and purpose-specific donations. UTokyo's tuition fees have been fixed at 535,000 yen annually for undergraduates and master's students since 2005, regardless of their status (whether domestic or international). This makes up approximately 5% of the university's income. However, the decline in government funding and
3614-588: The 1884 Reform Act championed by William Gladstone granting suffrage to a majority of males for the first time. The British population increased at a dramatic rate, accompanied by rapid urbanisation , causing significant social and economic stresses. By the late 19th century, the Conservatives under Benjamin Disraeli and Lord Salisbury initiated a period of imperial expansion in Africa , maintained
3753-1020: The A-level , SAT , and International Baccalaureate . All modules in these programmes are taught in English. However, learning Japanese is mandatory, and those confident in their Japanese ability can take modules taught in Japanese in other departments. Third, the university offers exchange programmes with universities worldwide. There are University-wide Student Exchange Programmes (USTEP) with universities such as Tsinghua University , Princeton University , National University of Singapore and Yale University . The College of Arts and Sciences has its own exchange programmes called KOMSTEP with universities such as University of Paris . The Faculty of Engineering also has its own exchange programmes, whose partner institutions include Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi , University of Cambridge , and Massachusetts Institute of Technology . Starting in Autumn 2027, UTokyo plans to offer
3892-535: The American occupation era following Japan's defeat in World War II , the university dropped the word 'imperial' from its name and reverted to its original name, University of Tokyo. During this period, Japan's education system was reformed to align more with the American system . As a result, UTokyo under merged with two Higher Schools , which were university preparatory boy's boarding schools and thus became
4031-534: The Atlantic slave trade , mainly between 1662 and 1807 when British or British-colonial slave ships transported nearly 3.3 million slaves from Africa. The slaves were taken to work on plantations , principally in the Caribbean but also North America . However, with pressure from the abolitionism movement , Parliament banned the trade in 1807, banned slavery in the British Empire in 1833, and Britain took
4170-650: The Battle of Culloden in 1746, after which the Scottish Highlanders were forcibly assimilated into Scotland by revoking the feudal independence of clan chiefs . The British colonies in North America that broke away in the American War of Independence became the United States . British imperial ambition turned towards Asia, particularly to India . British merchants played a leading part in
4309-715: The Cairngorms , Loch Lomond and The Trossachs and Ben Nevis which at 1,345 metres (4,413 ft) is the highest point in the British Isles. Wales accounts for less than 9 per cent of the UK, covering 8,020 square miles (20,779 km ). Wales is mostly mountainous, though South Wales is less mountainous than North and mid Wales . The highest mountains in Wales are in Snowdonia and include Snowdon ( Welsh : Yr Wyddfa ) which, at 1,085 metres (3,560 ft),
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4448-468: The Commonwealth of Nations . The UK was the third country to develop a nuclear weapons arsenal (with its first atomic bomb test, Operation Hurricane , in 1952), but the post-war limits of Britain's international role were illustrated by the Suez Crisis of 1956. The international spread of the English language ensured the continuing international influence of its literature and culture . As
4587-767: The European Convention on Human Rights . The UK remained a great power with global diplomatic and military influence and a leading role in the United Nations and NATO . The UK broadly supported the United States' approach to the " war on terror " in the early 21st century. British troops fought in the War in Afghanistan , but controversy surrounded Britain's military deployment in Iraq , which saw
4726-583: The European Union (EU) in 1992, the UK was one of the 12 founding member states. From the late 1960s, Northern Ireland suffered communal and paramilitary violence (sometimes affecting other parts of the UK) conventionally known as the Troubles . It is usually considered to have ended with the 1998 Belfast "Good Friday" Agreement . Following a period of widespread economic slowdown and industrial strife in
4865-494: The Falkland Islands , leading to the 10-week Falklands War in which Argentine forces were defeated. The inhabitants of the islands are predominantly descendants of British settlers, and strongly favour British sovereignty, expressed in a 2013 referendum . From 1984, the UK economy was helped by the inflow of substantial North Sea oil revenues. Another British overseas territory, Gibraltar , ceded to Great Britain in
5004-483: The First World War was still fresh. The American philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. personally donated $ 2 million (approximately $ 36 million in 2023). The United Kingdom formed a committee led by former Prime Minister Arthur Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour , and made substantial financial and cultural contributions. Rockefeller Jr. and Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester , a younger son of George V , visited
5143-545: The French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars (1792–1815), the United Kingdom emerged as the principal naval and imperial power (with London the largest city in the world from about 1830). Unchallenged at sea , British dominance was later described as Pax Britannica ("British Peace"), a period of relative peace among the great powers (1815–1914) during which the British Empire became
5282-580: The Great Kanto Earthquake struck the Kanto Plain, inflicting immense damage upon the university. This damage included the complete destruction of almost all main buildings, including the library, as well as the loss of precious scientific and historical samples and data stored in them. This led to a university-wide debate as to whether it should relocate to a larger site, such as Yoyogi , but ultimately, such plans were rejected. Instead,
5421-787: The Imperial Palace . President Yoshikazu Uchida consistently denied these requests by persuading them of the importance of culture, education and research for the country's long-term development. In September 1945, efforts by Uchida and Shigeru Nambara , Dean of the Faculty of Law, prevented the campus from becoming the Allied Headquarters . Instead, the Dai-Ichi Seimei Building was chosen. Nambara succeeded Uchida as president in December 1945. During
5560-708: The Institute of Industrial Science was established on the site of the former headquarters of the Third Infantry Regiment in Roppongi . During the war, the Imperial Army attempted to use the university's facilities several times, including plans to relocate the university to Sendai and use the Hongo Campus as a fortress for the anticipated Allied landing, Operation Downfall , to protect
5699-725: The Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland united under the Treaty of Union to create the Kingdom of Great Britain . The Acts of Union 1800 incorporated the Kingdom of Ireland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801. Most of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922 as the Irish Free State , and the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 created the present United Kingdom. The UK became
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5838-463: The Labour Party emerged from an alliance of trade unions and small socialist groups in 1900, and suffragettes campaigned for women's right to vote. Britain was one of the principal Allies that defeated the Central Powers in the First World War (1914–1918). Alongside their French, Russian and (after 1917) American counterparts, British armed forces were engaged across much of the British Empire and in several regions of Europe, particularly on
5977-399: The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology . University names which shifted are "graduate university" ( 大学院大学 , daigakuin daigaku ) . In April 2017, an amendment to the National University Corporation Act enabled the classification of national university corporations as “Designated National University Corporations”, with the stated aims of significantly improving
6116-405: The Representation of the People Act 1918 . After the war, Britain became a permanent member of the Executive Council of the League of Nations and received a mandate over a number of former German and Ottoman colonies. Under the leadership of David Lloyd George , the British Empire reached its greatest extent, covering a fifth of the world's land surface and a quarter of its population. By
6255-463: The Soviet Union formed in 1941, leading the Allies against the Axis powers . There were eventual hard-fought victories in the Battle of the Atlantic , the North Africa campaign and the Italian campaign . British forces played important roles in the Normandy landings of 1944 and the liberation of Europe . The British Army led the Burma campaign against Japan, and the British Pacific Fleet fought Japan at sea. British scientists contributed to
6394-477: The Tokugawa Shogunate in 1791 as part of the Kansei Reforms . The Tenmongata , established in 1684, was the astronomical research and education arm of the Shogunate. It evolved into the Kaisei School ( 開成学校 ) , a school for Western learnings, after the Meiji Restoration . The Kanda Otamagaike Vaccination Centre, established in 1858, evolved into a school of Western medicine called Tokyo Medical School ( 東京医学校 , Tokyo Igakko ) . Although plans to establish
6533-452: The United Kingdom ( UK ) or Britain , is a country in Northwestern Europe , off the coast of the continental mainland . It comprises England , Scotland , Wales , and Northern Ireland . The UK includes the island of Great Britain , the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland , and most of the smaller islands within the British Isles , making up a total area of 94,354 square miles (244,376 km ). Northern Ireland shares
6672-440: The United Kingdom , mathematics, physics, and international law from France , while politics, economics, and medicine were to be guided by German expertise. Additionally, agriculture and commercial law knowledge was to be sourced from the United States . Following this policy, UTokyo and its predecessor institutions sent their graduates to universities in these respective countries and also invited lecturers from them. However, by
6811-449: The Western Front . The high fatalities of trench warfare caused the loss of much of a generation of men, with lasting social effects in the nation and a great disruption in the social order. Britain had suffered 2.5 million casualties and finished the war with a huge national debt. The consequences of the war persuaded the government to expand the right to vote in national and local elections to all adult men and most adult women with
6950-408: The coastline paradox . It is connected to continental Europe by the Channel Tunnel , which at 31 miles (50 km) (24 miles (38 km) underwater) is the longest underwater tunnel in the world. The UK contains four terrestrial ecoregions: Celtic broadleaf forests , English Lowlands beech forests , North Atlantic moist mixed forests , and Caledonian conifer forests . The area of woodland in
7089-436: The largest protest in British history in opposition to the government led by Tony Blair . The Great Recession severely affected the UK economy. The Cameron–Clegg coalition government of 2010 introduced austerity measures intended to tackle the substantial public deficits. Studies have suggested that policy led to significant social disruption and suffering. A referendum on Scottish independence in 2014 resulted in
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#17328013330827228-512: The 16th century and established the Church of England . Moreover, it defined a national identity for England and slowly, but profoundly, changed people's religious beliefs. Wales was fully incorporated into the Kingdom of England , and Ireland was constituted as a kingdom in personal union with the English crown. In what was to become Northern Ireland, the lands of the independent Catholic Gaelic nobility were confiscated and given to Protestant settlers from England and Scotland. In 1603,
7367-401: The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, is a key military base . A referendum in 2002 on shared sovereignty with Spain was rejected by 98.97% of voters in the territory. Around the end of the 20th century, there were major changes to the governance of the UK with the establishment of devolved administrations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The statutory incorporation followed acceptance of
7506-552: The 1880s, the Japanese government grew concerned over the spread of French republican and British constitutional monarchist ideals among the faculty and students, and eventually Minister of Education Takato Oki instructed the university to reduce the use of English as a language of instruction, and instead to switch to Japanese. This shift coincided with the return of UTokyo alumni who had completed their education in Europe, and these returnees began filling roles that had been predominantly held by foreign scholars. The first half of
7645-406: The 1970s, the Conservative government of the 1980s led by Margaret Thatcher initiated a radical policy of monetarism , deregulation, particularly of the financial sector (for example, the Big Bang in 1986) and labour markets, the sale of state-owned companies (privatisation), and the withdrawal of subsidies to others. In 1982, Argentina invaded the British territories of South Georgia and
7784-558: The 2019 fiscal year , the number of national universities, 86, is unchanged, while the number of public universities increased to 93 and private universities increased to 607 compared with 2013. In 2004, the national university system underwent partial privatization. Since 2004, each national university has been incorporated as a National University Corporation ( 国立大学法人 , kokuritsu daigaku hōjin ) and given limited autonomy in its operations. Faculty and staff are no longer government employees ( 国家公務員 , kokka kōmuin ) working for
7923-476: The 5th century) united with the Picts to create the Kingdom of Scotland in the 9th century. In 1066, the Normans invaded England from northern France. After conquering England , they seized large parts of Wales , conquered much of Ireland and were invited to settle in Scotland, bringing to each country feudalism on the Northern French model and Norman-French culture. The Anglo-Norman ruling class greatly influenced, but eventually assimilated with,
8062-416: The British magazine Times Higher Education first published its world university rankings in partnership with QS in 2004, the University of Tokyo was ranked 12th in the world. In the latest 2024 edition of the rankings, it is ranked 29th. QS, now has its own rankings , placed the UTokyo at 28th. As these numbers suggest, there is a widely shared concern that the university is falling behind its counterparts in
8201-464: The Brittonic area mainly to what was to become Wales , Cornwall and, until the latter stages of the Anglo-Saxon settlement, the Hen Ogledd (northern England and parts of southern Scotland). Most of the region settled by the Anglo-Saxons became unified as the Kingdom of England in the 10th century. Meanwhile, Gaelic speakers in north-west Britain (with connections to the north-east of Ireland and traditionally supposed to have migrated from there in
8340-427: The Faculty of Medicine, and the Department of Sociology are amongst the most selective departments in the Shingaku Sentaku. Despite its roots as a boarding school, most undergraduates at the university either live with their families at home or in non-university accommodation. Since the closure of the Komaba dormitory ( 駒場寮 , Komaba-ryo ) in August 2001, there has been no on-campus accommodation for domestic students at
8479-597: The Interwar period in Japan was characterised by the spread of liberal ideas, collectively known as Taishō Democracy . This movement was ushered in by the concept of Minpon Shugi by Sakuzō Yoshino , as well as Tatsukichi Minobe 's interpretation of sovereignty as inherent to the state rather than the monarchy. Both were alumni and professors at the Faculty of Law. Taking advantage of the widespread acceptance of such ideas, Prime Minister Takaaki Katō , an alumnus of UTokyo, extended suffrage to all males aged 25 and over in 1925, as promised in his manifesto. This liberal tendency
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#17328013330828618-452: The Manhattan Project whose task was to build an atomic weapon. Once built, it was decided, with British consent, to use the weapon against Japan. The UK was one of the Big Three powers (along with the US and the Soviet Union) who met to plan the post-war world ; it drafted the Declaration by United Nations with the United States and became one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council . It worked closely with
8757-425: The Name of Great Britain". The term "United Kingdom" has occasionally been used as a description for the former Kingdom of Great Britain , although its official name from 1707 to 1800 was simply "Great Britain". The Acts of Union 1800 formed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Following the partition of Ireland and the independence of the Irish Free State in 1922, which left Northern Ireland as
8896-411: The Normans conquered England . With the end of the Wars of the Roses the English state stabilised and began to grow in power, resulting by the 16th century in the annexation of Wales , the domination of Scotland , and the establishment of the British Empire . Over the course of the 17th century, the role of the British monarchy was reduced, particularly as a result of the English Civil War . In 1707,
9035-495: The Scottish electorate voting by 55.3 to 44.7% to remain part of the United Kingdom. In 2016, 51.9 per cent of voters in the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union . The UK left the EU in 2020. On 1 May 2021, the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement came into force. The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on the UK's economy , caused major disruptions to education and had far-reaching impacts on society and politics in 2020 and 2021. The United Kingdom
9174-489: The Second World War damaged Britain's economic power and a global wave of decolonisation led to the independence of most British colonies. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy . The UK has three distinct jurisdictions: England and Wales , Scotland , and Northern Ireland . Since 1999, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own governments and parliaments which control various devolved matters. A developed country ,
9313-430: The UK has the world's sixth-largest economy by nominal gross domestic product (GDP). It is a nuclear state , and is ranked fifth globally in military expenditure . The UK has been a permanent member of the UN Security Council since its first session in 1946. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations , Council of Europe , G7 , OECD , NATO , Five Eyes , AUKUS and CPTPP . British influence can be observed in
9452-484: The UK in 2023 is estimated to be 3.25 million hectares, which represents 13% of the total land area in the UK. Most of the United Kingdom has a temperate climate, with generally cool temperatures and plentiful rainfall all year round. The temperature varies with the seasons seldom dropping below 0 °C (32 °F ) or rising above 30 °C (86 °F). Some parts, away from the coast, of upland England, Wales, Northern Ireland and most of Scotland, experience
9591-433: The UK into lowland and upland areas. Lowland areas include Cornwall , the New Forest , the South Downs and the Norfolk Broads . Upland areas include the Lake District , the Pennines , the Yorkshire Dales , Exmoor , and Dartmoor . The main rivers and estuaries are the Thames , Severn , and the Humber . England's highest mountain is Scafell Pike , at 978 metres (3,209 ft) in the Lake District; its largest island
9730-443: The UT-base and the UmeeT are widely read by students. After completing the Shingaku Sentaku , second-year students matriculate into senior division departments to specialise in their chosen fields. With the exception of the senior division of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Mathematics, which are located in Komaba, all other senior departments are situated in Hongo . Consequently, approximately 85 per cent of
9869-402: The United Kingdom and that elsewhere "British government" is used at least as frequently as "United Kingdom government". The UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names recognises "United Kingdom", "UK" and "U.K." as shortened and abbreviated geopolitical terms for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in its toponymic guidelines; it does not list "Britain" but notes that "it
10008-411: The United Kingdom is 1339.7 hours, which is just under 30% of the maximum possible. The hours of sunshine vary from 1200 to about 1580 hours per year, and since 1996 the UK has been and still is receiving above the 1981 to 2010 average hours of sunshine. Climate change has a serious impact on the country. A third of food price rise in 2023 is attributed to climate change. As of 2022, the United Kingdom
10147-436: The United Kingdom use several different terms to describe their national identity and may identify themselves as being British , English , Scottish , Welsh , Northern Irish , or Irish ; or as having a combination of different national identities. Settlement by Cro-Magnons of what was to become the United Kingdom occurred in waves beginning by about 30,000 years ago. The island has been continuously inhabited only since
10286-685: The United Kingdom. The 1928 Equal Franchise Act gave women electoral equality with men in national elections. Strikes in the mid-1920s culminated in the General Strike of 1926 . Britain had still not recovered from the effects of the First World War when the Great Depression (1929–1932) led to considerable unemployment and hardship in the old industrial areas, as well as political and social unrest with rising membership in communist and socialist parties. A coalition government
10425-640: The United States to establish the IMF , World Bank and NATO . The war left the UK severely weakened and financially dependent on the Marshall Plan , but it was spared the total war that devastated eastern Europe. In the immediate post-war years, the Labour government under Clement Attlee initiated a radical programme of reforms, which significantly impacted British society in the following decades . Major industries and public utilities were nationalised ,
10564-469: The University of Tokyo hosts 5,106 international students, who represent 17.7 per cent of the total student body. Of these, 4,874 are postgraduate students and 460 are undergraduates. Exchange students and postdoctoral researchers are not included in these numbers. At the undergraduate level, there are mainly three routes for those who have not received their secondary education in Japanese to apply to
10703-412: The University of Tokyo is organised into 10 faculties and 15 graduate schools. The leader of the University of Tokyo is known as the president ( 総長 , socho ) and it is a substantive leadership role. The president is elected by the university's board council from among the faculty members for a term of six years. The current president is Teruo Fujii , a scholar in applied microfluidics , who assumed
10842-597: The University of Tokyo library has a collection of over 10 million books and numerous materials of historical importance. This collection ranks it as the second-largest library in Japan, surpassed only by the National Diet Library , which holds a collection of approximately 46.8 million books. It also subscribes to about 170,000 journals. The headquarters of the library is situated in the General Library at Hongo, which underwent thorough renovation in
10981-578: The University of Tokyo. First, individuals with high Japanese proficiency can apply through the special admissions process for students educated overseas ( 外国学校卒業学生特別選考 ). Students admitted via this route study alongside their peers who received secondary education in Japanese. International students who apply via this route sometimes spend a year studying the language at preparatory schools before matriculation. Second, there are undergraduate programmes called PEAK (Programs in English at Komaba), which accept applications based on international qualifications such as
11120-576: The acquisition and settlement of overseas colonies , particularly in North America and the Caribbean. Though previous attempts at uniting the two kingdoms within Great Britain in 1606, 1667, and 1689 had proved unsuccessful, the attempt initiated in 1705 led to the Treaty of Union of 1706 being agreed and ratified by both parliaments. On 1 May 1707, the Kingdom of Great Britain was formed,
11259-541: The aftershocks of earthquakes ( Omori's law ) and developing a new type of seismometer capable of recording primary waves . The university set up an independent seismology department in November 1923 to delve deeply into the causes and effects of earthquakes and to better prepare for future seismic events. In 1925, with a government grant, the Earthquake Research Institute was established within
11398-401: The architect who designed them. Another notable change the earthquake brought about at the university was the expansion of its seismology studies . Long having been the only university in the seismically active country , the university was already known for its seismology research, most notably the contributions made by its alumnus and professor, Fusakichi Omori , in quantitatively evaluating
11537-666: The auditorium's interior. Prime Minister Eisaku Sato , who was an alumnus of UTokyo himself, visited the site the day after the protesters in the auditorium were forcibly removed, and decided to cancel that year's admission process. This led top highschool students to apply reluctantly to other universities such as Kyoto University and Hitotsubashi University , resulting in many applicants who would have been admitted to those universities under normal circumstances failing to gain admission, since applicants are not allowed to apply to multiple prestigious national universities in Japan. The aftermath saw 633 prosecutions, and varied sentences, marking
11676-580: The country's first university had been in place just after the Meiji Restoration, it was not until around 1875 that it was decided to form the university by merging these schools. The University of Tokyo was chartered on 12 April 1877 by the Meiji government . Corresponding to the fields covered by the predecessor schools, it started with four faculties: Law , Science , Letters, and Medicine . The Imperial College of Engineering later merged into
11815-736: The decades-long process of European integration , the UK was a founding member of the Western European Union , established with the London and Paris Conferences in 1954. In 1960 the UK was one of the seven founding members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), but in 1973 it left to join the European Communities (EC). In a 1975 referendum 67% voted to stay in it. When the EC became
11954-483: The eastern parts are the driest. Atlantic currents, warmed by the Gulf Stream , bring mild winters, especially in the west where winters are wet and even more so over high ground. Summers are warmest in the southeast of England and coolest in the north. Heavy snowfall can occur in winter and early spring on high ground, and occasionally settles to great depth away from the hills. The average total annual sunshine in
12093-561: The education and research levels of Japanese universities. As of 2021 a total of 10 national universities have been thus selected by the MEXT . The list is in alphabetical order: Although The Open University of Japan and Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology are founded by the national government's initiatives and heavily subsidised by the government, they are classified as private. United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as
12232-546: The end of March. Approximately one-third of the graduates enter the workforce upon graduation, while the remainder continue their studies at graduate schools within the university or at universities abroad. Popular places of employment for UTokyo graduates include the university itself, government ministries, global conglomerates such as Sony and Hitachi , consulting firms such as McKinsey & Company and PwC Consulting , trading companies such as Mitsubishi Corp and Mitsui Corp , and investment banks. As of 1 November 2023,
12371-468: The few extant structures built before this relocation is a gate called Akamon , which has become a widely recognised symbol of the university. During its initial two decades as a modern institution, UTokyo benefited from the contributions of European and American scholars. In 1871, the Meiji Government made a decision about the direction of academic disciplines: engineering was to be learnt from
12510-404: The first industrialised country and was the world's foremost power for the majority of the 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly during the " Pax Britannica " between 1815 and 1914. At its height in the 1920s, the British Empire encompassed almost a quarter of the world's landmass and population, and was the largest empire in history . However, its involvement in the First World War and
12649-449: The first phase of development was completed at Kashiwa Campus. Situated in the suburb of Kashiwa , this research-focused campus spans 405,313 square metres (100 acres) and has been at the forefront of advanced scientific research since its inception. In 2010, in an attempt to further internationalise and diversify its student body, the university increased its autumn enrollment opportunities for international students. UTokyo plans to increase
12788-594: The first year, Britain and its Empire continued the war against Germany. Churchill engaged industry, scientists and engineers to support the government and the military in the prosecution of the war effort. In 1940, the Royal Air Force defeated the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain . Urban areas suffered heavy bombing during the Blitz . The Grand Alliance of Britain, the United States and
12927-587: The formal control it exerted over its own colonies, British dominance of much of world trade meant that it effectively controlled the economies of regions such as East Asia and Latin America . Throughout the Victorian era , political attitudes favoured free trade and laissez-faire policies. Beginning with the Great Reform Act in 1832, Parliament gradually widened the voting franchise , with
13066-485: The foundation day of the university. All first-year students are matriculated at the College of Arts and Sciences at Komaba , which is a remnant of the time when the Komaba Campus served as the separate boarding school known as the First Higher School until 1949. There, they spend the first one and a half years of their degrees. Students are required to study a foreign language they have never learnt for at least
13205-817: The global hegemon and adopted the role of global policeman. From 1853 to 1856, Britain took part in the Crimean War , allied with the Ottoman Empire against Tsarist Russia , participating in the naval battles of the Baltic Sea known as the Åland War in the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland , among others. Following the Indian Rebellion in 1857 , the British government led by Lord Palmerston assumed direct rule over India . Alongside
13344-660: The government, primarily through the Expense Management Grant (運営費交付金). Despite being a national university, this grant from the government has been consistently reduced, dropping from 95.5 billion yen in 2005 to 79.9 billion yen in 2022. A total of 81.2 billion yen (30.5%) was self-earned, through sources such as the university hospitals (54.7 billion yen) and academic fees (16.6 billion yen). The remainder, 91.7 billion yen (34.4%), came from external funding, such as research grants and endowments. Although research grants are primarily earned by research groups and not by
13483-702: The graduate schools affiliated with specific faculties, the University of Tokyo also includes two independent graduate institutions: the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies and the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP). Apart from the faculties and graduate schools, the University of Tokyo hosts eleven affiliated research institutes ( 附置研究所 ) . These institutes serve as research hubs in their respective fields, aiming to widely disseminate their findings for societal benefit. Simultaneously, they function as educational institutions for
13622-509: The graduate schools. UTokyo Institutes For Advanced Study (UTIAS) started in January 2011. Their primary objective is to improve academic excellence and foster an internationalised research environment. There are four UTIAS institutes as of November 2023: The University of Tokyo Library System consists of three comprehensive libraries located on the main campuses—Hongo, Komaba, and Kashiwa—along with 27 other field-specific libraries operated by various faculties and research institutes. As of 2024,
13761-490: The international student ratio significantly higher for postgraduate studies (31.32 per cent in November 2023). The University of Tokyo operates under a centralised administrative structure, with key policies set by the administrative council, which is chaired by the president. However, due to the university's historical development as a merger of various institutions, each of the constituent colleges, faculties, and research institutes maintains its own administrative board. Today,
13900-518: The juniors to overnight orientation camps ( オリ合宿 , ori gasshuku ) in early April. Intense academic competition is common among students in the junior division, as they face matriculation to the senior division ( 進学選択 , shingaku sentaku , or colloquially shinfuri , 進振り ) in September of their second year, where they are assigned to departments based on their grades for the first one and a half years at Komaba. The Department of Information Science,
14039-403: The kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland were united in a personal union when James VI, King of Scots , inherited the crowns of England and Ireland and moved his court from Edinburgh to London; each country nevertheless remained a separate political entity and retained its separate political, legal, and religious institutions. In the mid-17th century, all three kingdoms were involved in
14178-581: The largest in Western Europe , with a population of 14.9 million. The cities of Edinburgh , Cardiff , and Belfast are the national capitals of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, respectively. The lands of the UK have been inhabited continuously since the Neolithic . In AD 43 the Roman conquest of Britain began; the Roman departure was followed by Anglo-Saxon settlement . In 1066,
14317-506: The largest landowners in the country. The University of Tokyo traces its roots to three independent institutes founded during the Edo period (1603–1868). The oldest, a Shogun-funded Confucian school called Senseiden ( 先聖殿 ) , was founded in 1630 by Razan Hayashi in Ueno . This school was renamed the Shoheizaka Institute ( 昌平坂学問所 , Shoheizaka Gakumonjo ) and came to be operated directly by
14456-408: The last retreat of the ice around 11,500 years ago. By the end of the region's prehistoric period , the population is thought to have belonged largely to a culture termed Insular Celtic , comprising Brittonic Britain and Gaelic Ireland . The Roman conquest , beginning in 43 AD, and the 400-year rule of southern Britain , was followed by an invasion by Germanic Anglo-Saxon settlers, reducing
14595-631: The late 2010s. It now features a 46-metre-deep automated underground storage capable of housing approximately 3 million books. The University of Tokyo Hospital is an academic health science centre operated by the Faculty of Medicine . The hospital finds its roots in the Kanda Otamagaike Vaccination Centre, established in 1858. It has 37 clinical examination rooms for a wide range of specialisations including Cardiovascular Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery, among others. With
14734-409: The legal and political systems of many of its former colonies , and British culture remains globally influential, particularly in language , literature , music and sport . English is the world's most widely spoken language and the third-most spoken native language . The Acts of Union 1707 declared that the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland were "United into One Kingdom by
14873-530: The local cultures. Subsequent medieval English kings completed the conquest of Wales and tried unsuccessfully to annex Scotland . Asserting its independence in the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath , Scotland maintained its independence thereafter, albeit in near-constant conflict with England . In 1215 the Magna Carta was the first document to state that no government was above the law, that citizens have rights protecting them and that they were entitled to
15012-680: The major part of the British Isles archipelago and includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern one-sixth of the island of Ireland and some smaller surrounding islands. It lies between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea with the southeast coast coming within 22 miles (35 km) of the coast of northern France, from which it is separated by the English Channel . The Royal Greenwich Observatory in London
15151-674: The mid-1920s, most of the British population could listen to BBC radio programmes. Experimental television broadcasts began in 1929 and the first scheduled BBC Television Service commenced in 1936. The rise of Irish nationalism , and disputes within Ireland over the terms of Irish Home Rule , led eventually to the partition of the island in 1921. A period of conflict in what is now Northern Ireland occurred from June 1920 until June 1922. The Irish Free State became independent, initially with Dominion status in 1922, and unambiguously independent in 1931 . Northern Ireland remained part of
15290-629: The most notable of which is the Kokasha ( 恒河沙 ). The Kokasha 's start-of-term issues include evaluations of lecturers by students from the previous year, and are widely read by students in the junior division to decide which modules to take at the beginning of terms. Additionally, there are several other relatively new student magazines, such as the biscUiT, the Todai Shimpo and the Komaba Times . Apart from those, student web media such as
15429-463: The only part of the island of Ireland within the United Kingdom, the name was changed in 1927 to the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". Although the United Kingdom is a sovereign country, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also widely referred to as countries . The UK Prime Minister's website has used the phrase "countries within a country" to describe the United Kingdom. Some statistical summaries, such as those for
15568-570: The proportion of female faculty members to above a quarter by newly creating positions for 300 female lecturers by 2027. In 2021, the newly elected President Teruo Fujii announced the UTokyo Compass, a guiding framework for the university during his tenure, focusing on diversity, dialogue, and creating a better future. It emphasises the university's autonomy and creativity in a new era, advocating multifaceted perspectives on knowledge, people, and places. The Compass encourages dialogue throughout
15707-477: The purview of the University Museum (UMUT) . Apart from the aforementioned museums, the University of Tokyo operates several other public facilities, the most notable of which are two botanical gardens managed by the Faculty of Science : Koishikawa and Nikko. (research grants, endowments) In 2021-2022, the university had an income of 264.1 billion yen. Of this, 93.4 billion yen (35.1%) was funded by
15846-504: The rest of Europe, royal absolutism would not prevail, and a professed Catholic could never accede to the throne. The British constitution would develop on the basis of constitutional monarchy and the parliamentary system . With the founding of the Royal Society in 1660, science was greatly encouraged. During this period, particularly in England, the development of naval power and the interest in voyages of discovery led to
15985-587: The result of the Acts of Union 1707 between the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland . In the 18th century, cabinet government developed under Robert Walpole , in practice the first prime minister (1721–1742). A series of Jacobite uprisings sought to remove the Protestant House of Hanover from the throne and restore the Catholic House of Stuart . The Jacobites were finally defeated at
16124-441: The role in April 2021 and is expected to serve until March 2027. The University of Tokyo's academic structure consists of 10 faculties and their affiliated graduate schools. This organisational structure, introduced as a result of reforms in the 1990s, aims to maximise the outcomes of education and research by integrating them across undergraduate and graduate levels, rather than maintaining separate focuses for each. In addition to
16263-647: The same year and are matriculated in April. The official acceptance rates for undergraduate degrees are relatively high, at around 30 per cent, which is due to the policy of restricting the number of students who can sit for the exam based on the scores from the Common Test. Additionally, Japan's university admission policy does not allow applicants to apply to multiple prestigious national universities, hence non-prospective students tend to switch to other national universities where they are more likely to secure admission. The matriculation ceremony takes place on 12 April,
16402-634: The scores from the Common Test, approximately three times the number of the final admission slots are invited to take the main examination in late February. Based on the idea that regardless of the field of specialisation, all students should have a solid understanding of mathematics and a good command of languages, mathematics, Japanese and one foreign language are compulsory for all applicants. For this examination, science candidates are tested in Advanced Mathematics, English, Japanese, and two science subjects. Humanities candidates take Mathematics,
16541-463: The students start a new chapter of their university life there. The Hongo Campus is located closer to the centre of Tokyo, and has more restaurants, cafes, and large museums in the vicinity compared to Komaba. In addition to these, the campus itself has fifteen refectories and restaurants, nine cafes, nine convenience stores and kiosks, one bookshop, two barbershops, and an underground gym with two 25-metre pools. Graduation ceremonies take place towards
16680-436: The twelve NUTS 1 regions , refer to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as "regions". Northern Ireland is also referred to as a "province". With regard to Northern Ireland, the descriptive name used "can be controversial, with the choice often revealing one's political preferences". The term "Great Britain" conventionally refers to the island of Great Britain, or politically to England, Scotland and Wales in combination. It
16819-530: The university and became the Faculty of Engineering . In 1886 , the university was renamed Imperial University, and it adopted the name Tokyo Imperial University in 1897 after the founding of the next imperial university , what is now Kyoto University . By 1888, all faculties had completed their relocation to the former site of the Tokyo house of the Maeda family in Hongo , where they continue to operate today. Among
16958-400: The university and society as a pivotal tool for understanding and questioning, fostering inclusivity, and tackling global challenges. In his announcement, he pledged to make UTokyo 'a university that anyone in the world would like to join'. The University of Tokyo's admission process ( 東大入試 , todai nyushi ) is regarded as the most selective in Japan and is almost synonymous with something that
17097-488: The university in 1929, shortly after the new library was completed. Prince Henry's visit marked the first Great Ball (大園遊会, Dai-Enyukai ) in several years, which is now known as the May Festival (五月祭, Gogatsusai ). A large portion of the buildings on Hongo Campus today were built during this reconstruction period, and their unique Collegiate Gothic style is known as Uchida Gothic ( 内田ゴシック ) after Yoshikazu Uchida ,
17236-606: The university purchased additional land in its vicinity, which was still owned by the Maeda family, and expanded there. The reconstruction of the university and its library was brought up in the fourth general assembly of the League of Nations in September 1923, where it was unanimously decided to provide support. The League is said to have been sympathetic especially because the memory of the destruction of KU Leuven in Belgium during
17375-571: The university was renamed Imperial University ( 帝國大學 , Teikoku daigaku ) in 1886 and was further retitled Tokyo Imperial University ( 東京帝國大學 , Tōkyō teikoku daigaku ) to distinguish it from other imperial universities established later. It served under this name until the official dissolution of the Empire of Japan in 1947, when it reverted to its original name. Today, the university consists of 10 faculties , 15 graduate schools , and 11 affiliated research institutes. As of 2023, it has
17514-448: The university's international standing have brought about discussions on whether to raise these fees. Since its foundation in 1877, the University of Tokyo has been involved in a wide range of research across various disciplines, resulting in notable outcomes. Below is a selection of recognised research efforts conducted by individuals and teams affiliated with the university during their work. Japanese national university As of
17653-505: The university's reliance on the grant and fostering greater independence, has been blamed as one of the main reasons for the decline in the university's competitiveness. To address these challenges, UTokyo has implemented various reforms. In 2004, the University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners (UTEC) was established. This venture capital firm, affiliated with the university, supports entrepreneurship arising from UTokyo's research and development, aiming to drive innovation across society. In 2006,
17792-570: The university, and it has been in continuous operation up to today. In 1941, the Empire of Japan attacked the American bases at Pearl Harbor and joined the World War II as an Axis power alongside Germany . By late 1943, as Japan faced significant defeats in the Pacific theatre , a decision was made to enlist university students studying humanities, sending them to battlefields. During
17931-599: The university, the university can typically claim up to 30% of them for university operations, which is included in this number. The total assets of the university are valued at 1.47 trillion yen as of 31 March 2024. Land holdings make up the largest percentage of this figure, valued at 878 billion yen. UTokyo's endowment fund is relatively small, at 44 billion yen as of March 2023. This is because national universities in Japan, including UTokyo, were not allowed to invest in high-risk assets until 2018, so endowments were spent rather than invested until that point. The UTokyo Foundation
18070-404: The university. There are four university dormitories available for undergraduate students: Mitaka, Toshima, Oiwake and Mejirodai. In 2021, approximately five per cent of the undergraduate students lived in one of the university dormitories. The university offers more options for international students, with on-campus dormitories available for them at Komaba and Kashiwa. The Todai Shimbun ( 東大新聞 )
18209-466: The war for engineers, especially in the fields of aeronautics, machinery, electronics, and shipbuilding, led to the establishment of the Second Faculty of Engineering ( 第二工学部 ) at UTokyo in 1942. In the newly built Chiba Campus, around 800 students were enrolled at one time, and pivotal military engineering research activities were conducted. It was closed in 1951, and as a successor organisation,
18348-487: The war, 1,652 students and alumni of UTokyo were killed, including those from varied civilian professions such as doctors, engineers, and diplomats, as well as those killed in action. They are commemorated in a memorial erected near the front gate of the Hongo Campus. Most students from faculties of engineering and science remained at university or worked as apprentice engineers, as the expertise of science and technology
18487-481: The world, and in the future it may struggle to provide a suitable environment for quality education and world-class research. UTokyo faces a challenging reality. Japan's long-lasting economic downturn since the 1990s has led to Japanese companies less willing to invest in research and development than before. Additionally, the government's Management Expense Grant ( 運営費交付金 ) has been reduced by one per cent annually since 2004. This policy, ostensibly aimed at decreasing
18626-636: The world, including the Anti-Vietnam War protests and the May 68 events in France. This zeitgeist of the era was prominently felt in Japan as well, symbolised by the 1960 Anpo protests , in which the death of a UTokyo student, Michiko Kamba , caused public outrage. In 1968, the University of Tokyo Struggles ( 東大紛争 , Tōdai Funsō ) began with medical students demanding improvements in internship conditions, in which medical students were forced to work long hours without being paid before being licensed as
18765-642: Was also shared among students, exemplified by the labour movement organisation the UTokyo Association of New People (Tōdai Shinjin-kai, 新人会 ) and the UTokyo Settlement (Tōdai Settlement, 東大セツルメント ). However, strong reactions against these liberal and socialist ideas also emerged at the university, notably from Shinkichi Uesugi , who mentored and greatly influenced three future prime ministers among his students at UTokyo: Nobusuke Kishi , Eisaku Satō , and Takeo Fukuda . On 1 September 1923,
18904-623: Was chosen as the defining point of the Prime Meridian at the International Meridian Conference in 1884. The United Kingdom lies between latitudes 49° and 61° N , and longitudes 9° W and 2° E . Northern Ireland shares a 224-mile (360 km) land boundary with the Republic of Ireland. The coastline of Great Britain is 11,073 miles (17,820 km) long, though measurements can vary greatly due to
19043-594: Was deemed indispensable for the war effort. Leo Esaki , who was a student at the department of physics during the war, shared his memory of his university life in 2007: 'The day after the Tokyo Air Raid of 9 March 1945 , during which more than 100 thousand citizens were killed, professor Tanaka conducted class as usual, without mentioning the war at all'. The buildings and facilities of UTokyo were largely immune from air raids, allowing education and research activities to continue. The increased demand brought about by
19182-470: Was formed in 1931. Nonetheless, "Britain was a very wealthy country, formidable in arms, ruthless in pursuit of its interests and sitting at the heart of a global production system." After Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Britain entered the Second World War . Winston Churchill became prime minister and head of a coalition government in 1940. Despite the defeat of its European allies in
19321-432: Was the first country in the world to use an approved COVID-19 vaccine , developing its own vaccine through a collaboration between Oxford University and AstraZeneca , which allowed the UK's vaccine rollout to be among the fastest in the world. The total area of the United Kingdom is approximately 94,354 square miles (244,376 km ), with a land area of 93,723 square miles (242,741 km ). The country occupies
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