Chuo University (中央大学, Chūō Daigaku), commonly referred to as Chuo (中央) or Chu-Dai (中大), is a private research university in Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1885 as Igirisu Hōritsu Gakkō (English Law School), Chuo is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions in the country.[2] The university operates four campuses in Tokyo: the largest in Hachiōji (Tama campus), one in Bunkyō (Korakuen campus), and two others in Shinjuku (Ichigaya and Ichigaya-Tamachi campuses). Chuo is organized into six faculties, ten graduate schools, and nine research institutes. There are also four affiliated high schools and two affiliated junior high schools.
Chuo was founded as the English Law School (英吉利法律学校, Igirisu Hōritsu Gakkō) in 1885 at Kanda in Tokyo by Rokuichiro Masujima together with some group of 18 young lawyers led by him.[2][3] Before 1889, the school moved and was renamed to Tokyo College of Law (Tōkyō Hōgakuin). The curriculum was changed to reflect the government reform of Japanese law and creation of a new civil code.[3] Opposition to the implementation of new civil code resulted in the government shuttering of the campus journal and the subsequent creation of the Chuo Law Review (Hōgaku Shinpō), which has been regularly published since then.[3]
The university was burnt down in the Great Kanda Fire that occurred in 1892, but was able to hold temporary classes. Before 1903, the school was promoted to Tokyo University of Law (Tokyo Hōgakuin Daigaku) and in 1905, the school expanded itself with the department of economics and renamed itself Chuo University.
The origin of its name "Chuo" has not been certain. However, many founders of the university were once students of the Middle Temple, London, United Kingdom before they completed their training and became qualified as Barristers. This is one of the reasons why the university was renamed to "Chuo", which literally means middle, center or central.
Another fire damaged the campus in June 1917, but it was rebuilt in August 1918.[3]
Chuo University（1926）
Under the old University Ordinance: 1920–1949
In 1918, Japanese government enacted University Ordinance (Daigaku Rei) that set legal framework of universities except imperial universities established by Imperial University Ordinance. Under this University Ordinance, licensed universities were permitted to issue official degrees. Chuo University was successfully licensed in 1920 with three faculties (law, economics and commerce), graduate schools and preparatory schools.
Reform along with new School Education Act: 1949–1978
After World War II, Chuo University started a series of reformations along with a new School Education Act of 1947. In 1948, its Correspondence Division was annexed to its Faculty of Law. In 1949, a new university system under the School Education Act of 1947 was applied to Chuo University. Its Engineering College was abolished and new Faculty of Engineering was opened in this year. Its Faculty of Literature was established in 1951. Its Faculty of Engineering took wings and was renamed to Faculty of Science and Engineering in 1962.
Contemporary
In 1978, Chuo University's headquarters, four faculties and graduate schools including laws, economics, commerce and arts moved to newly established Tama Campus in Hachiōji from the Kanda-Surugadai Campus. The Faculty of Science and Engineering and its Graduate School are still located at the Korakuen Campus. For celebrating its 100th anniversary, in 1988, Chuo University built the Surugadai Memorial Hall which is a seven-story building. It is located at a section on the old Kanda-Surugadai Campus.
In 1993, the Faculty of Policy Studies was opened on the Tama Campus.
The Ichigaya Campus was built in 2000 originally as a satellite downtown campus for graduate schools, but, in 2002, a new professional graduate school, Chuo Graduate School of International Accounting and in 2004, another professional graduate school, Chuo Law School were established at the same campus, and then, the satellite downtown campus function for graduate schools partially moved to Ichigaya-Tamachi Campus after it was established in 2010.
In 2008, Chuo Graduate School of Strategic Management, which is a professional graduate school, was launched at Korakuen Campus. Faculty of Literature was renamed to Faculty of Letters.
The Ichigaya-Tamachi Campus in Shinjuku was opened in 2010. The Graduate Schools of International Accounting and Public Policy have moved to this campus.
In 2010, Chuo University celebrated its 125th anniversary and the other university events including the main ceremony were held on November 13.[4]
It houses headquarters, all the undergraduate faculties except for the Faculty of Science and Engineering, five graduate schools including law, economics, commerce, arts and policy studies.
It houses the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the corresponding graduate school, and the Graduate School of Strategic Management (professional graduate school).
It contains the Chuo Graduate School of International Accounting (professional graduate school) and the Graduate School of Public Policy. It is also a downtown satellite campus for graduate schools.
Chuo has eight research institutions and one research based educational institution.[5]
Institute of Comparative Law in Japan
It was established as the first research institute for comparative legal studies in Japan and East Asia.[citation needed] Its academic research journal Hikakuhō Zasshi is one of the most prestigious[citation needed] academic journals in this field. Its office and library are on Tama Campus.
Institute of Economic Research
It was established in 1964. Its research covers microeconomics, macroeconomics and Marxian economics.
Institute of Social Sciences
It was established in 1979. Its research covers a wide range of social sciences including politics, applied policy studies, area studies and modern histories.
Institute of Business Research
The Japanese name of this institute is "Kigyō Kenkyūjo", literally Institute for Business Entity Analysis. It was established in 1979. It is very famous[citation needed] for its large collection of material on Japanese corporations or business entities.
Institute of Cultural Science
The Japanese name of this institute is "Jinbun-kagaku Kenkyūjo", literally Institute of Humanities. The research undertaken by the institute is primarily collaborative, and involves study of cultural sciences in their broadest sense.
Institute of Health and Sports Science
It was established in 1978. Its main office and laboratories are in the main Gymnastic Building on Tama Campus.
Institute of Science and Engineering
The institute, established in 1992, promotes joint and project research in science and technology. Its office is on Korakuen Campus.
Institute of Policy and Cultural Studies
The institute was established in 1996 for promoting applied research in policy studies.
Institute of Accounting Research
This institute was founded in 1948, for researching practice and theory of corporate accounting, tax, and legislation and/or regulation on business entities. In 1979, Chuo decided to separate it into two. A new Institute of Business Research succeeded research functions and the Institute of Accounting Research changed its function into research-based education in accounting. The institute offers various courses for students who would like to be qualified as CPA or tax accountant, or to become business professionals empowered by the knowledge of accounting.
21st Century Center of Excellence
"21st Century Center of Excellence" (COE) program is the Japanese government's special support program for establishing top research centers within research universities. Chuo had this support from 2002 to 2006 for its "Research on Security and Reliability in Electronic Society". Combining cryptographic technologies and other social engineering methods including legal studies, Chuo contributed to society[vague] on this matter.[citation needed]
International Residence and Library
In 2011, as a part of the university's promotional efforts for internalization, Chuo opened an international residence in Hino, Tokyo to provide new and already-enrolled students with 64 private rooms and communal living spaces where students can communicate with fellow students and develop international perspectives. In 2012, an additional international exchange residence with 94 all-in-one private rooms was opened to further the internationalization efforts. Chuo also boast a rich history spanning over 125 years. The university is equipped with an immense library with about 2.1 million volumes in its collection.[6]
^平方正昭 [reading not known], "Orihara Kei", in Nihon shashinka jiten (日本写真家事典) / 328 Outstanding Japanese Photographers (Kyoto: Tankōsha, 2000; ISBN4-473-01750-8), p.88. (Despite the English-language alternative title, only in Japanese.)
