University of Tokyo selects Yuko Fujigaki as first female president

Professor Yuko Fujigaki has been selected as the next president of the University of Tokyo, making her the first woman to hold the position in the institution's history. Her six-year term is scheduled to begin in April 2027.

The decision was made by the President Selection and Inspection Committee on September 28, following an intentional voting process among faculty and staff. Notably, Fujigaki was not the top vote-getter in the second round of voting; Takao Someya received 1,107 votes, while Fujigaki received 553. The committee stated that the final selection is based on a comprehensive evaluation of voting results, candidate materials, recommendation letters, and interviews, rather than the vote alone.

The selection process highlights ongoing discussions regarding university governance in Japan. While the intentional voting system is intended to gauge leadership potential and build trust with the university community, the committee maintains that the results serve as one of several reference points in the decision-making process.