37 Notable alumni of Kyushu University
Updated: June 13, 2026 EliteDegrees
Kyushu University is 175st in the world, 1st in North America, and 6st in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 37 notable alumni from Kyushu University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with Kyushu University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Richard Dietz
1977-. (aged 49)
judge
Richard Donald Dietz is a judge on the North Carolina Supreme Court, having been elected in 2022. He previously served on the North Carolina Court of Appeals after being appointed by Governor Pat McCrory to fill the vacant seat created by the elevation of Robert N. Hunter, Jr. to the North Carolina Supreme Court.
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2. Tomoyoshi Watanabe
1941-. (aged 85)
politician
Tomoyoshi Watanabe is a retired Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kasuya District, Fukuoka and graduate of Kyushu University, he worked at the Ministry of Transport from 1964 to 1994. After teaching at Fukuoka University, he was elected to the House...
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3. Sun Haiyan
1972-. (aged 54)
diplomat
politician
Sun Haiyan is a Chinese diplomat and politician who has served as the deputy head of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party since June 2023. She previously served as the Chinese Ambassador to Singapore from May 2022 to July 2023.
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4. Shanta Dutta
microbiologist
Dr. Shanta Dutta is an Indian medical researcher of gastrointestinal diseases and served ICMR- National Institute for Research in Bacterial Infections as the director during July 2016 to November 2024. She joined the then ICMR- NICED in 1994 and acquired over 30 years of research experiences in infectious Diseases especially enteric disease (especially cholera and typhoid fever) research. Her research...
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5. Takashi Gojobori
1951-. (aged 75)
geneticist
biologist
Takashi Gojobori is a Japanese molecular biologist who is vice director of the National Institute of Genetics (NIG) and the DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) at NIG in Mishima, Japan. Gojobori is a distinguished professor at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. He is a professor of bioscience and acting director at the...
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6. Seiji Shinkai
1944-. (aged 82)
university teacher
chemist
Seiji Shinkai is a Japanese chemist and professor of Kyushu University, and emeritus professor.
7. Shinya Izumi
1937-. (aged 89)
politician
Shinya Izumi is a retired Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as the Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission in Shinzo Abe's cabinet from August 2007 to August 2008. He also served as a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet of Japan (parliament).
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8. Toshibumi Tanaka
1911-1982 (aged 71)
trade unionist
politician
Toshibumi Tanaka was the first governor of Hokkaido (1947–1959). He was a graduate of Kyushu University.
9. Yoichiro Kawaguchi
1952-. (aged 74)
visual artist
Yoichiro Kawaguchi is a Japanese computer graphics artist and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo.
10. Makoto Oniki
1972-. (aged 54)
politician
Makoto Oniki is a Japanese politician from the Liberal Democratic Party.
11. Kosuke Morita
1957-. (aged 69)
physicist
Kōsuke Morita is a Japanese experimental nuclear physicist, known as the leader of the Japanese team that discovered nihonium (element 113). He currently holds a joint appointment as a professor at Kyushu University’s Graduate School of Science and as director of the Super Heavy Element Research Group at Riken's Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science.
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12. Asad Majeed Khan
diplomat
Asad Majeed Khan is a Pakistani diplomat who served as Pakistan's Ambassador to United States from January 2019 to 2022. He previously served as a Foreign Secretary of Pakistan and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Japan and Pakistan's Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union.
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13. Terufumi Sasaki
surgeon
Terufumi Sasaki was a surgeon at the Red Cross hospital in Hiroshima and was situated 1,650 yards (1,510 m) from the hypocenter of the Little Boy explosion on August 6, 1945. Twenty-five years old that year, out of an initial 30 interviewed, he became one of the six central characters found in John Hersey's 1946 story for The New Yorker...
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14. Tenrei Ōta
1900-1985 (aged 85)
politician
obstetrician
Tenrei Ōta, born Takeo Ōta (太田 武夫 Ōta Takeo, 1900–1985) was a Japanese obstetrician-gynaecologist and politician. He invented the Ōta ring, an early intrauterine device (IUD). Throughout his life, he was an outspoken advocate for contraception, abortion, and euthanasia. Some of his beliefs were rooted in eugenics, and during his time as a member of Japan's House of Representatives, he...
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15. Tetsumi Takara
1954-. (aged 72)
politician
legal counselor
Tetsumi Takara is a Japanese politician currently serving as a member of the National Diet in the House of Councillors. He was elected on July 27, 2019, representing the Okinawa at-large district which encompasses the entirety of Okinawa Prefecture.
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16. Tomihisa Taue
1956-. (aged 70)
politician
Tomihisa Taue, is a Japanese politician and the mayor of Nagasaki, the capital city of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan from 2007 to 2023.
17. Junzo Shono
1921-2009 (aged 88)
writer
novelist
Junzō Shōno was a Japanese novelist. A native of Osaka, he began writing novels after World War II. He won the 1954 Akutagawa Prize for his book Purusaido Shokei (Poolside Scene). Shōno's other award-winning books include Seibutsu (Still Life), for which he won the Shinchosha literary prize, Yube no Kumo (Evening Clouds), which was awarded the 1965 Yomiuri Prize, and...
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18. Gao Zongwu
1905-1994 (aged 89)
politician
Gao Zongwu was a Chinese diplomat in the Republic of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. He was best known for playing a key role in negotiations between China and Japan from 1937 to 1940 that initially intended to bring about a peace agreement between them, but which led to the defection of prominent statesman Wang Jingwei and the establishment...
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19. Kazuchika Iwata
1973-. (aged 53)
politician
Kazuchika Iwata is a Japanese politician who has been serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2012. He has also served as the State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and State Minister of Cabinet Office.
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20. Teijirō Furukawa
1934-2022 (aged 88)
bureaucrat
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
Teijirō Furukawa was a Japanese official who served as Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary from 1995 to 2003. As such he was the senior bureaucrat under five Prime Ministers. Before that he served as Administrative Vice Minister of Health and Welfare from 1993 to 1994.
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21. Shōzaburō Jimi
1945-. (aged 81)
politician
physician
Shozaburo Jimi is a former Japanese politician of the now defunct People's New Party, and was a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
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22. Genichi Taguchi
1924-2012 (aged 88)
engineer
statistician
Genichi Taguchi was a Japanese engineer and statistician. From the 1950s on, Taguchi developed a methodology for applying statistics to improve the quality of manufactured goods. Taguchi methods have been controversial among some conventional Western statisticians, but others have accepted many of the concepts introduced by him as valid extensions to the body of knowledge.
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23. Katsuto Momii
1943-. (aged 83)
businessperson
badminton executive and administrator
Katsuto Momii is a Japanese businessman who was elected as NHK's 21st Director-General on 20 December 2013. He worked for Mitsui & Co. from 1965 until 2005. From 2005 until 2011, he worked as President and representative director of Unisys Japan.
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24. Toshio Shimao
1917-1986 (aged 69)
writer
novelist
kamikaze
screenwriter
Toshio Shimao was a Japanese novelist. He has been called a "writer's writer", which is used as both a compliment and criticism.
25. Hakaru Hashimoto
1881-1934 (aged 53)
physician
pathologist
surgeon
Hakaru Hashimoto was a Japanese doctor and medical scientist of the Meiji and Taishō periods. He is best known for publishing the first description of the disease that was later named Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
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26. Yasuhiro Yoshiura
1980-. (aged 46)
film producer
screenwriter
film editor
designer
animator
Yasuhiro Yoshiura is a Japanese writer and director of animated short films. Many of his works such as Pale Cocoon and Time of Eve have garnered awards and featured at film festivals. His production studio is called Studio Rikka.
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27. Tetsu Nakamura
1946-2019 (aged 73)
physician
Tetsu Nakamura, also known as Kaka Murad (Pashto: کاکا مراد, transl. "Uncle Nakamura"), (15 September 1946 – 4 December 2019), was a Japanese physician and honorary Afghan citizen who headed Peace Japan Medical Services (PMS), an aid group known as Peshawar-kai in Japanese.
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28. Ichiro Nakagawa
1925-1983 (aged 58)
politician
Ichiro Nakagawa was a Japanese politician from Hokkaidō. He was a significant leader of the right-wing of the Liberal Democratic Party.
29. Koichi Wakata
1963-. (aged 63)
engineer
aircraft pilot
astronaut
Koichi Wakata is a Japanese engineer and an astronaut working for Axiom Space. Wakata retired from JAXA in 2024 after a career in spaceflight spanning nearly two decades. He logged over 500 days in space across five missions: three aboard the Space Shuttle, one on the Soyuz, and one on the Crew Dragon. His missions included three long-duration stays on...
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30. Tadatomo Yoshida
1956-. (aged 70)
politician
Tadatomo Yoshida is a Japanese politician currently serving as a member of the House of Councillors for Ōita at-large district; he previously represented the National PR block, having been elected on two separate occasions in 2010 and in 2019. He previously served as a member of the Ōita Prefectural Assembly from 2000 to 2010.
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31. Yasushi Inoue
1907-1991 (aged 84)
writer
poet
novelist
screenwriter
Yasushi Inoue was a Japanese writer of novels, short stories, poetry and essays, noted for his historical and autobiographical fiction. His most acclaimed works include The Bullfight (Tōgyū, 1949), The Roof Tile of Tempyō (Tenpyō no iraka, 1957) and Tun-huang (Tonkō, 1959).
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32. Junko Tabei
1939-2016 (aged 77)
explorer
mountaineer
Junko Tabei was a Japanese mountaineer, author and teacher. She was the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest and ascend the Seven Summits, climbing the highest peak on every continent.
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33. Hsu Shih-hsien
1908-1983 (aged 75)
politician
Hsu Shih-hsien was a Taiwanese physician, academic and politician.
34. Babak Hodjat
1967-. (aged 59)
computer scientist
artificial intelligence researcher
Babak Hodjat is a British computer scientist, entrepreneur, and writer. He was the co-founder and CEO of Sentient Technologies and now holds the position of Chief Technology Officer AI at Cognizant. He is a specialist in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning. In 1998 Hodjat co-founded Dejima Inc and served as CEO and CTO, his patented work on...
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35. Nurdin Abdullah
1963-. (aged 63)
politician
Nurdin Abdullah is an Indonesian politician and academic who was the 8th governor of South Sulawesi and regent of Bantaeng Regency between 2008 and 2018. He was arrested for corruption in 2021, and sentenced to five years' imprisonment, though he was released in August 2023.
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36. Chen Yu-jen
1973-. (aged 53)
politician
Chen Yu-jen, also known as Jessica Chen, is a Taiwanese politician and lawyer who serves as a Member of the Legislative Yuan. She was previously a member of the Kinmen County Council.
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37. Guo Moruo
1892-1978 (aged 86)
historian
archaeologist
actor
writer
anthropologist
Guo Moruo, courtesy name Dingtang, was a Chinese author, poet, historian, archaeologist, and government official. A prominent Chinese writer in the May Fourth Movement and later in the Mao era, he was persecuted during the Cultural Revolution. The persecution led him to denounce his colleagues and his past work and demand that all of it be burned, an act for...
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