October 2024
April 2025
October 2025

For reference

Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI[Integrative Evolutionary Science]
Application Guidelines
Contents
I.

Outline: Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies
p. 2

II.

Five-year Doctoral Program: Application Procedures and Important Notes
p. 3

III. Three-year Doctoral Program: Application Procedures and Important Notes
p. 16
IV. List of Faculty Members
p. 29
The following Application Guidelines in English are provided for non-Japanese Applicants' reference
only. In the event of any inconsistency between the Japanese Application Guidelines and the English
version the Japanese version shall prevail. The utmost care shall be taken to ensure that theapplicant is not disadvantaged by inconsistencies between the two versions.
Applications will be accepted through the online entrance examination application system, “The
Admissions Office”. For details on the application process using “The Admissions Office,” pleaserefer to our university's website at https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/admission/application_info/ies/.

[Contact Information]
Student Affairs Section, Academic and Student Affairs Division
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI
Shonan Village, Hayama, Miura, Kanagawa 240-0193 JAPANE-mail: gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp
Telephone number +81-46-858-1525/1526

1

Ⅰ. Outline: Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies

Admission Policy<What SOKENDAI expect of our grad students>
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, seeks students who have a strong interest in
research, who constantly hone their abundant intellect and sensitivity with the aim of conducting researchthat will open up a new era, while taking a “bird's-eye view” of the entire field of study, and who have the will
and enthusiasm to be active on the international stage.
<Basic policy for the selection of our grad students>
In selecting students for admission, SOKENDAI places importance on basic academic ability and logicalthinking ability to actively promote research in the cutting-edge 20 research institutes affiliated to
SOKENDAI. In order to properly judge such abilities, various selections will be made according to therespective fields of specialization.
About SOKENDAI

https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/features/
Faculty Directory
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/faculty-directory/index.html
Coursehttps://www.soken.ac.jp/en/education/curriculum/course/

Requirements for Graduation
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/education/curriculum/requirement/
Degree: Apply to Doctor (Katei-Hakase)https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/education/degree/doctor/index.html

2

Ⅱ. Five-year Doctoral Program: Application Procedures and Important Notes

1

Number of Students Accepted
Number of Students Accepted
ProgramApril Admission

October Admission

Informatics

Around 8

A few

Statistical Science

Around 2

A few

Particle and Nuclear Science

Around 6

A few

Accelerator Science

Around 2

A few

Astronomical Science

Around 5

Fusion Science

Around 3

A few

Space and Astronautical Science

Around 4

A few

Molecular Science

Around 7

Materials structure Science

Around 2

Polar Science

Around 2

Basic Biology

Around 5

A few

Physiological Sciences

Around 3

A few

Genetics

Around 6

A few

Integrative Evolutionary Science

Around 3

A few

Total

2

A few

58

Qualifications for Application

Applicants must fulfill one of the following conditions
Applicants who are not required to have qualification screening;(1) Applicants who have graduated or are expected to graduate from a Japanese university specified in
Article 83 of the School Education Law by the preceding month of enrollment.
(2) Applicants on whom a Bachelor’s degree has been conferred or is expected to be conferred by thepreceding month of enrollment in accordance with Article 104, Paragraph 7 of the School Educational
Law. *1(3) Applicants who have completed or are expected to complete 16-year course of school education in aforeign country by the preceding month of enrollment.
(4) Applicants who have completed or are expected to complete 16-year course of school education in aforeign country by taking the correspondence courses provided by a school in said foreign country while
residing in Japan by the preceding month of enrollment.
3(5) Applicants who have completed or are expected to complete a program in an educational institute inJapan designated separately by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, thatprovides courses of a foreign university within the 16-year school education of said foreign country, by thepreceding month of the enrollment. This applies solely to those who have completed 16-year course ofschool education in said foreign country.
(6) Applicants who have been conferred or are expected to be conferred a degree equivalent to a Bachelor’s
degree by the preceding month of enrollment by completing an educational course of three or more years
in a foreign university or in a foreign educational institute; which shall be evaluated by an organization
approved by a relevant official institution in the country for their education and research activities, orrecognized as so by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The course shall
include a correspondence course which enables students to study in Japan by a university or an
educational institute which is approved by the educational system of the country and satisfy the above
requirements.
(7) Applicants who have completed or are expected to complete the specialized course of a vocational
school designated separately by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology inaccordance with Enforcement Regulation of the School Education Law, Article 155, paragraph 1, item 5(limited to courses for which the term of study is four years or more, and which satisfies the standards
determined by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) on or after the date
determined by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, or by the preceding
month of enrollment.
(8) Applicants who are designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology inaccordance with Enforcement Regulation of the School Education Law, Article 155, paragraph 1, item 6(i.e., Ministry of Education Notification number 5, 1953) *2
Applicants who are required to have qualification screening before the general application can besubmitted;(9) Applicants who fulfill any of the following provisions (a) to (c) below, and have been recognized by
SOKENDAI as having acquired the specified credits with excellent results;(a) Applicants who have completed 15-year course of school education in a foreign country by the end of
preceding month of enrollment,(b) Applicants who have completed 15-year course of school education in a foreign country by taking thecorrespondence courses provided by a school in said foreign country while residing in Japan,(c) Applicants who have completed or are expected to complete a program in an educational institute inJapan designated separately by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology,
that provides courses of a foreign university within the 15-year school education of said foreigncountry, by the preceding month of the enrollment. This applies solely to those who have completed
15-year course of school education in said foreign country.
(10) Applicants who have been or will have been enrolled in a Japanese university specified in Article 83 of
the School Education Law for at least three years by the end of preceding month of enrollment, and have4

been recognized by SOKENDAI as having acquired the specified credits of said university with excellent
results.
(11) Applicants who have entered a graduate school other than SOKENDAI in accordance with the Article
102, paragraph 2 of the School Education Law, and have been recognized by SOKENDAI as having theappropriate academic ability to follow the content of graduate coursework.
(12) Applicants who have been recognized as having academic ability equivalent to a university graduate or
higher by the individual screening of Admission Qualifications of SOKENDAI, and attain the age of 22 by
the end of preceding month of enrollment. *3*1

Applicants to whom the provision (2) above apply are those on whom a Bachelor’s degree has been
conferred or are expected to be conferred by National Institute for Academic Degrees and Quality
Enhancement of Higher Education (formerly, National Institution for Academic Degrees and University
Evaluation).

*2

Applicants to whom the provision (8) above apply are those who have graduated or are expected tograduate from a university under Old University Ordinances, or Daigakko under orders for organization andacts of establishment of government ministries or agencies.

*3

Applicants to whom the provision (12) above apply are those who have graduated or are expected tograduate from junior college, technical college, vocational school, other schools, Japan campus of foreign
university, foreigners’ school in Japan and other educational institutes, and who have been recognized by
SOKENDAI as having academic ability equivalent to a university graduate or higher by individual screening.

If you have any questions regarding the qualification for admission, please contact the Student Affairs Section(E-mail: gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp or telephone no.: +81-46-858-1525/1526) in advance.

3

Qualification Screening for Application

Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (9), (10), (11) or (12) in “2 Qualifications for Application”
are required to submit the following documents to the Student Affairs Section by the designated deadline.
Application documents shall be withheld until the qualification screening is completed.
(1) Documents required for screening(a) Application for Certifying Applicant’s Qualification (Attached Form 4-1)(b) Application documents (as described in “4 Application Procedure (2) Application Documents” below)
Application fee, however, should be paid after application qualification is approved.
(c) Other documents required by Integrative Evolutionary Science. For details, please contact to program
office.
(a), (b) and (c) above must be submitted all together.

5(2) Application Period for Qualification Screening(Only for the applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (9) to (12) in “2 Qualification forApplication”)
First round

October 2024 Admission
April 2025 Admission

Second round

April 2025 Admission
October 2025 Admission

Application Period
Those who apply only for Integrative Evolutionary Science or
those who apply with other programs:
June 3 (Monday) to June 6 (Thursday), 2024
Those who apply only for Integrative Evolutionary Science or
those who apply with other programs:
November 5 (Tuesday) to November 7 (Thursday), 2024
Those who apply only for Integrative Evolutionary Science:
December 16 (Monday) to December 17 (Tuesday), 2024
*Please submit the application documents to meet either of theapplication period.

The application must arrive no later than the last day of the application period without fail.
It must be received during 09:00～12:00, 13:00～17:00 on weekdays of the application period.
(3) Procedure for Qualification Screening
The complete set of application documents should be sent by postal mail in a commercially available
envelope (33cm x 24cm) with the prescribed label in the booklet pasted. Please be sure to send it byregistered express mail. Applicants should write “Application Documents and Application for Certifying
Applicant’s Qualification Enclosed” in red ink on the face of the envelope. The application must reach
SOKENDAI no later than the last day of the application period.
Mailing address:
Student Affairs Section, Academic and Student Affairs Division
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI
Shonan Village, Hayama, Miura, Kanagawa 240-0193 JAPAN
Telephone number +81-46-858-1525/1526(4) Result of Qualification Screening for Application
The result of Qualification Screening for Application shall be notified prior to the application period.
Applicants who have been approved by the screening should send in the payment for the examination
fee. The examination fee is 30,000 yen, payable by credit card.

4

Application Procedure(1) Application Period
Please submit your application through the online entrance examination system, “The Admissions Office.”
Please refer to our university website: https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/admission/application_info/ies/.
Please note all the correspondence related to the application process will be communicated through "The
Admissions Office". If you receive a message from no-reply@admissions-office.net to the email address which
you have registered for “The Admissions Office”, please make sure to click the “Check Message” link andconfirm the message.
You can also check your message through the following procedure:(i)

Log in to “The Admissions Office”
6

(ii) Select “Message”(iii) Select “The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI” / “Graduate Institute for Advanced
Studies” / “Integrative Evolutionary Science” / “General Admission” / “October 2024 Admission and April
2025 Admission” or “April 2025 Admission and October 2025 Admission”
Application Period
Application Period
First round

Second round

Those who apply only for Integrative Evolutionary Science or those
October 2024 Admission
who apply with other programs:
April 2025 Admission
June 27 (Thursday) 00:00 to July 3 (Wednesday) 12:00, 2024
Those who apply only for Integrative Evolutionary Science or those
who apply with other programs:
December 5 (Thursday) 00:00 to December 11 (Wednesday) 12:00, 2024
April 2025 Admission
Those who apply only for Integrative Evolutionary Science:
October 2025 Admission January 9 (Thursday) 00:00 to January 15 (Wednesday) 12:00, 2025
*Please submit the application documents to meet either of theapplication period.

Please note that all the times listed are in Japan Standard Time (JST).
(2) Application Documents① Application form (Applicant Information)
Complete the following Applicant information on “The Admissions Office”:
The following items must be registered:
Full Name, Full Name in Katakana, Date of Birth, Gender, Desired Enrollment Period, Postal Code,
Address, Email, Phone Number, Past Enrollment Status at SOKENDAI, Face Photo (uploaded
image), Academic History (High School and above), Concurrent Application with Another Program.
Submit the following documents if applicable:
Research History (upload a research history file), Employment History (upload an employment historyfile), Awards/Penalties/Certifications.
② Academic transcripts
Upload the PDF or image file.
(a) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (1) in “2 Qualifications for Application” must
submit academic transcripts from the undergraduate school. In case any of the credits wereapproved after transferring to the undergraduate school, academic transcripts from the technicalcollege or other college are also required.
(b) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (2) in “2 Qualifications for Application” must
submit all the academic transcripts concerning the Bachelor’s degree.
(c) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (3) to (9) in “2 Qualifications for Application”
must submit the academic transcripts from the foreign undergraduate school.
(d) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (10) to (12) in “2 Qualifications forApplication” must submit the academic transcript from their final academic background.
③ Certificate of (expected) graduation
Upload the PDF or image file.
7

(a) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (1) in “2 Qualifications for Application” must
submit the certificate of (expected) graduation from the university which a Bachelor’s degree has
been conferred from.
(b) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (2) in “2 Qualifications for Application” must
submit the certificate from National Institute for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement ofHigher Education (formerly, National Institute for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation).
(c) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (3) to (9) in “2 Qualifications for Application”
must submit the certificate of (expected) graduation from the foreign undergraduate school.
(d) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (10) in “2 Qualifications for Application” must
submit the school-certificate, and applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (11) and(12) in “2 Qualifications for Application” must submit the certificate of graduation of their final
academic background.
④ Statement of Purpose (Form2)
Download Form 2 from the university website, complete it, and upload the PDF or image file.
⑤ Examination fee
The examination fee is 30,000 yen, payable by credit card.
MEXT scholarship students do not have to bear the examination fee. If you are MEXT scholarshipstudents, attach proof and contact the Student Affairs Section at gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp.
⑥ Confirmation Letter regarding the Applicability of the Specific Categories for Compliance with Article
25(1) and (2) of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (Form5)
Applicants residing in Japan must submit Form 5. Download Form 5 from the university website,please refer to the simple check flow chart (*) to complete it, and upload the PDF or image file. For
details, please contact the Research Coordination Section. [E-mail: kenkyo@ml.soken.ac.jp]* https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/admission/file/tokuteiruikei-E.pdf⑦ Curriculum Vitae (Form1)
Only for international applicants and Japanese applicants who received their education outside
Japan.
Download Form 1 from the university website, complete it, and upload the PDF or image file.
⑧ Documents certifying the applicant’s research abilities, such as thesis, research report and othermaterials are also accepted, if applicable.
Upload documents in PDF or image format that certificate your research abilities.
⑨ Permission for Studying While in Employment (Form3)
Applicants who are currently employed full-time are required to submit Permission for Studying Whilein Employment (Form 3). In case the permission cannot be obtained or the applicant intends to resign
before enrollment, s/he may instead submit a statement of reason with her/his signature.
Download Form 3 from the university website, complete it with the current department head's
information, and upload the PDF or image file.

8

⑩ A copy of Residence Card (international applicants residing in Japan) or A copy of passport(international applicants residing outside Japan at the time of application)
For residence card holders, submit both sides.
Individuals residing outside Japan must submit the personal information page of their passport.
Upload the PDF or image file.
Notes:i.

Application Forms are also downloadable at our website:
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/admission/application_info/ies/

ii.

Incomplete documents shall not be accepted. No documents shall be returned.

iii.

In case the applicant’s name has changed after marriage, etc., a copy of family register should be
attached.

iv.

Application documents should be written in Japanese or English. If you submit the certificate neither
in Japanese nor English, please also attach the certificate in Japanese or English.

v.

Applicants who are (were) in the doctoral or master's program must submit a transcript of the doctoralor master's program. Applicants who have graduated from a doctoral or master's program must
submit a certificate of graduation. Applicants who have withdrawn from the doctoral or master's
program must submit a withdrawal certificate.

vi.

If you wish to apply for another program, you need a booklet version of the application form. For
information on how to request a booklet version of the application form, please refer to the following
URL:
https://www.soken.ac.jp/admission/general_admission/gias_guideline/application/index.html

5

Screening Procedures

Screening will be conducted based on submitted application documents and results of academic tests. For thedetails of the screening methods for this program, please refer to “Important Notes for Applicants to Integrative
Evolutionary Science Program”.
If you apply to more than two programs, please note that screening is conducted individually, and the date orvenue may differ depending on the screening.
Examination DateFirst round

October 2024 Admission
April 2025 Admission

August 8 (Thursday) to August 9 (Friday), 2024

Second round

April 2025 Admission
October 2025 Admission

February 13 (Thursday) to February 14 (Friday), 2025

Please note that all the times listed are in Japan Standard Time (JST).
The examination schedule and admission ticket information will be communicated directly to theapplicants through “The Admissions Office”. If you receive a message from no-reply@admissionsoffice.net to the email address registered with “The Admissions Office”, please click the “Check Message”
link.
9Additionally, you can follow the steps below for confirmation:
Procedure to Confirm Admission Ticket:(i)

Log in to “The Admissions Office”(ii) Click on “Applications”(iii) Select the “Completed” tab(iv) Select “The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI” / “Graduate Institute forAdvanced Studies” / “Integrative Evolutionary Science” / “General Admission” / “October 2024
Admission and April 2025 Admission” or “April 2025 Admission and October 2025 Admission”(v) Click on “Show examination slip”
Procedure to Confirm Examination Schedule:(i)

Log in to “The Admissions Office”(ii) Select “Message”(iii) Select “The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI” / “Graduate Institute forAdvanced Studies” / “Integrative Evolutionary Science” / “General Admission” / “October 2024
Admission and April 2025 Admission” or “April 2025 Admission and October 2025 Admission”(Note 1): Please come to venue of the examination with plenty of time to be in time for the notified
examination day and time.
(Note 2): If you do not receive the notice of the examination schedule by 3 days before the examination
date, please contact the Student Affairs Section at gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp.
Venue of the examination
Program

Location and Directions

Integrative Evolutionary Science

Hayama Campus
Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193 Japan(For more information, https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/access/)*If you are an applicant residing outside Japan and are unable to travel to Japan for the interview examination due to
exceptional circumstances, please inform us of the reason during the application period. In the event that your situationis acknowledged by the Integrative Evolutionary Science Program, alternative measures will be arranged in lieu of an
in-person interview.”

6

Announcement of Results
First round
Second round

Notification
October 2024 Admission
April 2025 Admission
April 2025 Admission
October 2025 Admission

Late August 2024
Late February 2025

Further details will be sent to applicants.

10You can verify your result of the entrance examination through “The Admissions Office” using the following
steps:(i)

Log in to “The Admissions Office”(ii) Click on “Applications”(iii) Select the “Completed” tab(iv) Select “The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI” / “Graduate Institute for Advanced
Studies” / “Integrative Evolutionary Science” / “General Admission” / “October 2024 Admission and April
2025 Admission” or “April 2025 Admission and October 2025 Admission”(v) Click on “View my screening results”
We will notify your results of the entrance examination through “The Admissions Office”. Inquiries regarding
the results by telephone or other means will not be accepted.

7

Admission Procedures(1) Deadline for the admission procedures is scheduled as below:
Late September 2024 for the enrollment of October 2024
Early to mid-March 2025 for the enrollment of April 2025
Late September 2025 for the enrollment of October 2025
Successful applicants must complete the admission procedures during the prescribed period. Further
details will be notified to successful applicants separately.
(2) Fees required for admission are as follows.
Entrance Fee: JPY282, 000
Tuition Fee for six months: JPY267, 900
Student Insurance Fee for five years: JPY5,750(Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursuing Education and Research)
Note:(a) In case the entrance or tuition fees are revised at the time of or during enrollment, the revised
fees shall be applied from the date of revision.
(b) Entrance fees shall not be refunded under any circumstances once the payment is made.
Premium for the student insurance, however, may be refunded only if applicants decline theadmission by the cut-off dates as below:
September 30, 2024 for the enrollment of October 2024
March 31, 2025 for the enrollment of April 2025
September 30, 2025 for the enrollment of October 2025
(3) Applicants who are currently employed full-time must submit the “Letter of Approval” issued by theemployer that acknowledges the enrollment while employed. Resignation certificate must be submitted if
you resign before you enroll at SOKENDAI.

11

(4) Applicants who are enrolled at a school other than SOKENDAI at the time of application (not including
applicants who will have graduated/completed the school before you enroll at SOKENDAI) must submit
the certificate of withdrawal from said school.
(5) Foreign nationals are strongly advised to obtain a College Student visa unless a particular reason would
prohibit them from doing so. Detailed information on how to obtain this type of visa is available on the
SOKENDAI’s website: http://www.soken.ac.jp/en/campuslife/international/immigration/

8Long-term course system
Long-term course system is a planned course of study for a certain period of time beyond the standard
period of study upon request from the student, who has an occupation or other circumstances. For further
information, please contact the Educational Affairs Section.
E-mail: kyomu@ml.soken.ac.jp, or Fax: +81-46-858-1632

9

General Notes(1) Before applying and taking the entrance examination, applicants must read through “Important Notes forApplicants”.
(2) Submitted documents shall not be returned. No changes or alternations to the submitted documents shallbe accepted after filing.
(3) Admission might be revoked in case of any false entry or act of dishonesty on application documents andother documents.
(4) Applicants who wish to transfer to SOKENDAI from other graduate school must contact Student Affairs
Section before the last day of the application period.
(5) Physically challenged applicants who require special consideration at the examination and after
enrollment are advised to inform SOKENDAI three months prior to the application period.
(6) Applicants should inform the Student Affairs Section if they wish to withdraw their application.
E-mail: gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp, or Fax: +81-46-858-1632(7) In case the applicant has changed the mailing address after submitting the application documents, please
inform the Student Affairs Section of the change.
E-mail: gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp, or Fax: +81-46-858-1632(8) Students are not allowed to simultaneously register at other universities while studying at SOKENDAI.
(9) If there is any change for SOKENDAI admissions, we will announce on SOKENDAI website. Please makesure SOKENDAI website.

10

Security Export Control
Based on the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (*), SOKENDAI has established regulations andconducts examinations for the provision of technology and the acceptance of researchers and students.
For this reason, if it is deemed that there is a risk of falling under regulations, you may be required to12change your desired education or research content. Security Export Control regulations has nothing to dowith passing or failing the entrance examination. Please consult the program office for further details.
* https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/anpo/englishpage.html

11

Privacy Policy(1) Any personal information including applicant’s name and address submitted to SOKENDAI as part of theapplication documents shall be used during the application process such as applicant/examination
procedures, notification of results and admission procedures. After enrollment, personal information shallalso be used for student affairs (school register and course registration), student services (health care,tuition exemption and scholarship application, and career support) and administrative purposes ofprocessing payments for entrance and tuition fees.
(2) Personal information obtained in the screening process such as examination results, shall be used for
aggregate analyses of examination results and research for use in the screening process.

13

Important Notes for Applicants to Integrative Evolutionary Science Program(Five-year Doctoral Program)If the application period, program, and the month for the enrollment are the same, multiple applications up to
the second preference are allowed. This program accepts multiple applications with Astronomical Science,
Fusion Science, Molecular Science, Materials Structure Science, Global Environmental Studies, Polar
Science, Basic Biology, Physiological Sciences, and Genetics. However, please note that selection isconducted separately for each program, so be mindful of the examination dates and venues when applying for
multiple programs.
1. Selection Method:
Document screening, English proficiency, and interview will be used for selection.
(1) Document screening: Evaluation of the submitted materials as requested by Integrative Evolutionary
Science Program.
(2) English proficiency: Responding to simple English questions during the interview.
(Note: Except for those taking the interview in English.)(3) Interview: Language choice (Japanese or English) is to be made on the day of the interview.
The interview will focus onplans, areas of interest, and English proficiency (for those taking the interview inJapanese).
a) Explain current research (graduate research or any other) and what you wish to study in this program
within 10 minutes.
b) Subsequently, a question-and-answer session will be conducted based on the information provided.
c) The Q&A may include questions related to the foundational knowledge required for research, and for
those taking the interview in Japanese, questions in English may be included.
(Note: Supplementary materials, one A4 page each, may be distributed for reference in sections a), but
personal manuscripts or materials are not allowed. The use of a whiteboard is permitted if needed, butother devices are not allowed.)
Supplementary materials must be submitted by email to the Integrative Evolutionary Science ResearchCenter Office (hayamajimu@ml.soken.ac.jp) one week before the exam date.
2. Evaluation and Pass/Fail Criteria:(1) Evaluation Criteria: Applicants' enthusiasm, motivation, basic academic ability, expressive skills, logicalreasoning, and suitability as researchers will be assessed through application documents and theinterview.
(2) Pass/Fail Criteria: The results of the interview, evaluation based on application documents, and the overall
assessment of the applicant's ability to conduct research over three years will be considered indetermining the pass/fail status.
143. Contact Information:
Address: Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193 Japan
Integrative Evolutionary Science Research Center Office, General Affairs Section, SOKENDAI
Phone: 046-858-1595, 1577
Email: hayamajimu@ml.soken.ac.jp
Website: https://ies.soken.ac.jp/en_index.html

15

Ⅲ. Three-year Doctoral Program: Application Procedures and Important Notes

1

Number of Students Accepted
Number of Students Accepted
ProgramApril Admission
Anthropological Studies

Around 4

Japanese Studies

Around 3

Japanese History

Around 3

Japanese Literature

Around 2

Japanese Language Science

Around 3

Informatics

Around 12

A few

Statistical Science

Around 6

A few

Particle and Nuclear Science

Around 1

A few

Accelerator Science

Around 1

A few

Astronomical Science

Around 1

A few

Fusion Science

Around 2

A few

Space and Astronautical Science

Around 3

A few

Molecular Science

Around 5

A few

Materials structure Science

Around 1

A few

Global Environmental Studies

Around 2

Polar Science

Around 1

A few

Basic Biology

Around 3

A few

Physiological Sciences

Around 6

A few

Genetics

Around 2

A few

Integrative Evolutionary Science

Around 1

A few

Total

2

October Admission

62

Qualifications for Application
Applicants must fulfill one of the following conditions
Applicants who are not required to have qualification screening;(1) Applicants who hold or are expected to take a Master’s degree or a Professional degree by thepreceding month of enrollment.

16

(2) Applicants on whom a Master’s degree or a degree equivalent to a Professional degree has been
conferred or is expected to be conferred in a foreign country by the preceding month of enrollment.
(3) Applicants who have completed the correspondence courses provided by a school in a foreign country
while residing in Japan, and have been conferred or are expected to be conferred a Master’s degree ora degree equivalent to a Professional degree by the preceding month of enrollment.
(4) Applicants who have completed or are expected to complete a program in an educational institute inJapan that provides courses from a foreign graduate school within the school education system of said
foreign country, and that is designated separately by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Scienceand Technology, and have been conferred or are expected to be conferred a Master’s degree or adegree equivalent to a Professional degree by the preceding month of enrollment.
(5) Applicants who have completed a course at the United Nations University and have been conferred orare expected to be conferred a degree equivalent to a Master’s degree by the preceding month ofenrollment, in accordance with the Enforcement Regulation of the School Education Law, Article 156,
Item 4.
(6) Applicants who have completed a course of study at a school in a foreign country or an educational
institute that has graduate school in a foreign country or the United Nations University, and havepassed or will have passed the examinations and screening equivalent to those specified in Article 16-2of the Standards for Establishment of Graduate Schools (1974 Ministry of Education, Science andCulture Ordinance Number 28), and who have been or will have been recognized by SOKENDAI as
having academic abilities equivalent to those who have a Master’s degree.
Applicants who are required to have qualification screening before the general application can besubmitted;(7) Applicants who have graduated from a university and have been or will have been engaged in researchat a university or a research institute for at least two years by the preceding month of the enrollment,
and have been recognized by SOKENDAI as having academic ability equivalent to or superior to those
who have a Master’s degree or a Professional degree based on said research achievement.
(8) Applicants who have completed 16-year course of school education in a foreign country or 16-year
course of school education by taking the correspondence courses provided by a school in a foreigncountry while residing in Japan, and thereafter, have been or will have been engaged in research at auniversity or a research institute for at least two years by the preceding month of the enrollment, andhave been recognized by SOKENDAI as having academic ability equivalent to or superior to those whohave a Master’s degree or a Professional degree based on said research achievement.
(9) Applicants who have been recognized by SOKENDAI as having academic ability equivalent to or
superior to those who have a Master’s degree or a Professional degree by the individual screening of
Admission Qualifications of SOKENDAI, and attain the age of 24 by the end of preceding month ofenrollment.

17

If you have any question regarding the qualification for admission, please contact the Student Affairs Section(E-mail: gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp or telephone no.: +81-46-858-1525/1526) in advance.

3

Qualification Screening for Application(1) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (7), (8) and (9) in “2 Qualifications for Application” arerequired to submit the following documents to Student Affairs Section by the designated deadline.
Application documents shall be withheld until the qualification screening is completed.
(2) Applicants who wish to apply under the provisions (7) and (8) in “2 Qualifications for Application” arerequired to submit the following documents for screening to be recognized as “having academic ability
equivalent to those who have a Master’s degree or a Professional degree”. An interview will also be
conducted, if necessary.
(3) Applicants who wish to apply under the provision (9) in “2 Qualifications for Application” above shall bescreened as follows:
Program

Procedure

Integrative Evolutionary Science(a)

Screening will be conducted based on the submitted documents.
An interview may be added, if necessary.

Documents required for Qualification Screening for Application are as follows;i.

Application for Certifying Applicant’s Qualification (Form 4-2)

ii.

Application Documents as specified in “4 Application Procedure (2) Application Documents”
Application Fee, however, should be paid after the application is approved.
(i.) and (ii.) above should be submitted all together. Please note that applicants might be asked tosubmit other documents by Integrative Evolutionary Science.

(b)

Application Period regarding Qualification Screening
Application Period
First round

Second round

October 2024 Admission
April 2025 Admission

April 2025 Admission
October 2025 Admission

Those who apply only for Integrative Evolutionary Science or
those who apply with other programs:
June 3 (Monday) to June 6 (Thursday), 2024
Those who apply only for Integrative Evolutionary Science or
those who apply with other programs:
November 5 (Tuesday) to November 7 (Thursday), 2024
Those who apply only for Integrative Evolutionary Science:
December 16 (Monday) to December 17 (Tuesday), 2024
*Please submit the application documents to meet either of theapplication period.

Application must arrive no later than the last day of the application period without fail.
It must be received during 09:00～12:00, 13:00～17:00 on weekdays of the application period.
(c) Procedure for Qualification Screening
The complete set of application documents should be sent by postal mail in a commercially available
envelope (33cm x 24cm) with the prescribed label in the booklet pasted. Please be sure to send it byregistered express mail. Applicants should write “Application Documents and Application for Certifying
18

Applicant’s Qualification Enclosed” in red ink on the face of the envelope. If the application documents do
not fit in an envelope, they may be sent in a box. However, even in this case, please send the documentsby traceable mail. The application must reach SOKENDAI no later than the last day of the application
period.
Mailing address:
Student Affairs Section, Academic and Student Affairs Division
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI
Shonan Village, Hayama, Miura, Kanagawa 240-0193 JAPAN
Telephone number +81-46-858-1525/1526(d) Result of Qualification Screening for Application
The result of Qualification Screening for Application shall be notified prior to the application period.
Applicants who have been approved by the screening should complete payment for the examination fee.
The examination fee is 30,000 yen, payable by credit card.

4

Application Procedure(1) Application Period
Please submit your application through the online entrance examination system, “The Admissions Office.”
Please refer to our university website: https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/admission/application_info/ies/.
Please note all the correspondence related to the application process will be communicated through "The
Admissions Office". If you receive a message from no-reply@admissions-office.net to the email address which
you have registered for “The Admissions Office”, please make sure to click the “Check Message” link andconfirm the message.
You can also check your message through the following procedure:(i)

Log in to “The Admissions Office”(ii) Select “Message”(iii) Select “The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI” / “Graduate Institute for Advanced
Studies” / “Integrative Evolutionary Science” / “General Admission” / “October 2024 Admission and April
2025 Admission” or “April 2025 Admission and October 2025 Admission”
Application Period
Application Period
First round

Second round

Those who apply only for Integrative Evolutionary Science or those
October 2024 Admission
who apply with other programs:
April 2025 Admission
June 27 (Thursday) 00:00 to July 3 (Wednesday) 12:00, 2024
Those who apply only for Integrative Evolutionary Science or those
who apply with other programs:
December 5 (Thursday) 00:00 to December 11 (Wednesday) 12:00, 2024
April 2025 Admission
Those who apply only for Integrative Evolutionary Science:
October 2025 Admission
January 9 (Thursday) 00:00 to January 15 (Wednesday) 12:00, 2025
* Please submit the application documents to meet either of theapplication period.

Please note that all the times are listed in Japan Standard Time (JST).
19

(2) Application Documents① Application form (Applicant Information)
Complete the following Applicant information on “The Admissions Office”:
The following items must be registered:
Full Name, Full Name in Katakana, Date of Birth, Gender, Desired Enrollment Period, Postal Code,
Address, Email, Phone Number, Past Enrollment Status at SOKENDAI, Face Photo (uploaded
image), Academic History (High School and above), Concurrent Application with Another Program.
Submit the following documents if applicable:
Research History (upload a research history file), Employment History (upload an employment historyfile), Awards/Penalties/Certifications.
② Academic transcripts
Upload the PDF or image file.
(a) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (1) in “2 Qualifications for Application” must
submit the academic transcript from the graduate school or the Professional graduate school, andthat from the undergraduate school. In case any of the credits were approved after transferring to
the undergraduate school, academic transcripts from the technical college or other college arealso required.
(b) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (2) to (6) in “2 Qualifications for Application”
must submit the academic transcript from the graduate school in said foreign country (a Master’s
degree or a Professional degree) and that from the undergraduate school concerning the
Bachelor’s degree.
(c) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (7) to (9) in “2 Qualifications for Application”
must submit the academic transcript from their final academic background.
③ Certificate of (expected) graduation
The certificate should state conferment of the Master’s degree or the Professional degree.
Upload the PDF or image file.
(a) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (1) in “2 Qualifications for Application” must
submit a certificate of (expected) graduation from the graduate school which a Master’s degree or a
Professional degree has been conferred from.
(b) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (2) to (5) in “2 Qualifications for Application”
must submit the certificate of (expected) graduation from the foreign graduate school.
(c) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (6), (7), (8) or (9) in “2 Qualifications forApplication” must submit a certificate of graduation of their final academic background.
④ Statement of Purpose (Form2)
Download Form 2 from the university website, complete it, and upload the PDF or image file.
⑤ Examination fee
The examination fee is 30,000 yen, payable by credit card.

20

MEXT scholarship students do not have to bear the examination fee. If you are MEXT scholarshipstudents, attach proof and contact the Student Affairs Section at gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp.
⑥ Confirmation Letter regarding the Applicability of the Specific Categories for Compliance with Article
25(1) and (2) of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (Form5)
Applicants residing in Japan must submit Form 5. Download Form 5 from the university website,please refer to the simple check flow chart (*) to complete it, and upload the PDF or image file. For
details, please contact the Research Coordination Section. [E-mail: kenkyo@ml.soken.ac.jp]* https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/admission/file/tokuteiruikei-E.pdf⑦ Curriculum Vitae (Form1)
Only for international applicants and Japanese applicants who received their education outside
Japan.
Download Form 1 from the university website, complete it, and upload the PDF or image file.
⑧ Master's Thesis
Applicants who have a Master’s degree or who have submitted the Master’s thesis must submit the
Master’s thesis.
Upload the PDF or image file.
⑨ Summary of Master's Thesis
Applicants who hold a master’s degree or are enrolled in a Master’s program and preparing amaster's thesis shall submit Summary of Master's thesis.
Upload the PDF or image file.
⑩ The academic publication
Applicants who have any publication of scientific paper or treatise must submit the publication.
Upload the PDF or image file.
⑪ Permission for Studying While in Employment (Form3)
Applicants who are currently employed full-time are required to submit Permission for Studying Whilein Employment (Form 3). In case the permission cannot be obtained or the applicant intends to resign
before enrollment, s/he may instead submit a statement of reason with her/his signature.
Download Form 3 from the university website, complete it with the current department head's
information, and upload the PDF or image file.
⑫ A copy of Residence Card (international applicants residing in Japan) or A copy of passport(international applicants residing outside Japan at the time of application)
For residence card holders, submit both sides.
Individuals residing outside Japan must submit the personal information page of their passport.
Upload the PDF or image file.
(Notes)i.

Application Forms are also downloadable at our website:
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/admission/application_info/ies/

ii.

Incomplete documents shall not be accepted. No documents shall be returned.
21

iii.

In case the applicant’s name has changed after marriage, etc., a copy of family register should be
attached.

iv.

Application documents should be written in Japanese or English. If you submit the certificate neither inJapanese nor English, please also attach the certificate in Japanese or English.

v.

Applicants who are (were) in the doctoral program must submit a transcript of the doctoral program.
Applicants who have graduated from a doctoral program must submit a certificate of graduation.
Applicants who have withdrawn from the doctoral program must submit a withdrawal certificate.

vi.

If you wish to apply for another program, you need a booklet version of the application form. For
information on how to request a booklet version of the application form, please refer to the following
URL:
https://www.soken.ac.jp/admission/general_admission/gias_guideline/application/index.html

5

Screening Procedures

Screening will be conducted based on submitted application documents and results of academic tests. For
details of the screening methods for this program, please refer to “Important Notes for Applicants to Integrative
Evolutionary Science Program”.
If you apply to more than two programs, please note that screening is conducted individually, and the date orvenue may differ depending on the screening.
Examination DateFirst round

October 2024 Admission
April 2025 Admission

August 8 (Thursday) to August 9 (Friday), 2024

Second round

April 2025 Admission
October 2025 Admission

February 13 (Thursday) to February 14 (Friday), 2025

Please note that all the times are listed in Japan Standard Time (JST).
The examination schedule and admission ticket information will be communicated directly to theapplicants through “The Admissions Office”. If you receive a message from no-reply@admissionsoffice.net to the email address registered with “The Admissions Office”, please click the “Check Message”
link.
Additionally, you can follow the steps below for confirmation:
Procedure to Confirm Admission Ticket:(i)

Log in to “The Admissions Office”.

(ii) Click on “Applications”(iii) Select the “Completed” tab.

(iv) Select “The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI” / “Graduate Institute forAdvanced Studies” / “Integrative Evolutionary Science” / “General Admission” / “October 2024
Admission and April 2025 Admission” or “April 2025 Admission and October 2025 Admission”(v) Click on “Show examination slip”
22Procedure to Confirm Examination Schedule:(i)

Log in to “The Admissions Office”(ii) Select “Message”(iii) Select “The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI” / “Graduate Institute forAdvanced Studies” / “Integrative Evolutionary Science” / “General Admission” / “October 2024
Admission and April 2025 Admission” or “April 2025 Admission and October 2025 Admission”(Note 1): Please come to venue of the examination with plenty of time to be in time for the notified
examination day and time.
(Note 2): If you do not receive the notice of the examination schedule by 3 days before the examination
date, please contact the Student Affairs Section at gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp.
Venue of the examination
Program

Location and Directions

Integrative Evolutionary Science

Hayama Campus
Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193 Japan(For more information, https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/access/)*If you are an applicant residing outside Japan and are unable to travel to Japan for the interview examination due to
exceptional circumstances, please inform us of the reason during the application period. In the event that your situationis acknowledged by the Integrative Evolutionary Science Program, alternative measures will be arranged in lieu of an
in-person interview.”

6

Announcement of Results
First round
Second round

Notification
October 2024 Admission
April 2025 Admission
April 2025 Admission
October 2025 Admission

Late August 2024
Late February 2025

Further details will be sent to applicants.
You can verify your result of the entrance examination through “The Admissions Office” using the following
steps:(i)

Log in to “The Admissions Office”.

(ii) Click on “Applications”(iii) Select the “Completed” tab(iv) Select “The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI” / “Graduate Institute for Advanced
Studies” / “Integrative Evolutionary Science” / “General Admission” / “October 2024 Admission and April
2025 Admission” or “April 2025 Admission and October 2025 Admission”(v) Click on “View my screening results”

23

We will notify your results of the entrance examination through “The Admissions Office.” Inquiries regarding
the results by telephone or other means will not be accepted.

7

Admission Procedures(1) Deadline for the admission procedures is scheduled as below:
Late September 2024 for the enrollment of October 2024
Early to mid-March 2025 for the enrollment of April 2025
Late September 2025 for the enrollment of October 2025
Successful applicants must complete the admission procedures during the prescribed period. Further
details will be notified to successful applicants separately.
(2) Fees required for admission are as follows.
Entrance Fee: JPY 282,000
Tuition Fee for six months: JPY 267,900
Student Insurance Fee for three years: JPY 3,620(Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursuing Education and Research)
Note:(a) In case the entrance or tuition fees are revised at the time of or during enrollment, the revised fees
shall be applied from the date of revision.
(b) Entrance fees shall not be refunded under any circumstances once the payment is made. Premiumfor the student insurance, however, may be refunded only if applicants decline the admission by the
cut-off dates as below:
September 30, 2024 for the enrollment of October 2024
March 31, 2025 for the enrollment of April 2025
September 30, 2025 for the enrollment of October 2025
(3) Applicants who are currently employed full-time should submit the “Letter of Approval” issued by theemployer that acknowledges the enrollment while employed. Resignation certificate must be submitted if
you resign before you enroll at SOKENDAI.
(4) Applicants who are enrolled at a school other than SOKENDAI at the time of application (not including
those who will have graduated from/completed the school before you enroll at SOKENDAI) must submit
the certificate of withdrawal from said school.
(5) Foreign nationals are strongly advised to obtain a College Student visa unless a particular reason would
prohibit them from doing so. Detailed information on how to obtain this type of visa is available on the
SOKENDAI’s website: http://www.soken.ac.jp/en/campuslife/international/immigration/

8Long-term course system
Long-term course system is a planned course of study for a certain period of time beyond the standard
period of study upon request from the student, who has an occupation or other circumstances. For further
information, please contact the Educational Affairs Section.
24

E-mail: kyomu@ml.soken.ac.jp, or Fax: +81-46-858-1632

9(1)

General Notes
Before applying and taking the entrance examination, applicants should read through “Important Notes
for Applicants”.

(2)

Submitted documents shall not be returned. No changes or alternations to the submitted documents will
be accepted after filing.

(3) Admission might be revoked in case of any false entry or act of dishonesty on application documents andother documents.
(4) Applicants who wish to transfer to SOKENDAI from other graduate school must contact Student Affairs
Section before the last day of the application period.
(5) Physically challenged applicants who need special consideration at the examination and after enrollment
are advised to inform SOKENDAI three months prior to the application period.
(6) Applicants should inform the Student Affairs Section if they wish to withdraw their application.
E-mail: gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp, or Fax: +81-46-858-1632(7) In case the applicant has changed the mailing address after submitting the application documents, please
inform the Student Affairs Section of the change.
E-mail: gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp, or Fax: +81-46-858-1632(8) Students are not allowed to simultaneously register at other universities while studying at SOKENDAI.
(9) If there is any change for SOKENDAI admissions, we will announce on SOKENDAI website. Please makesure SOKENDAI website.

10

Security Export Controls
Based on the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (*), SOKENDAI has established regulations andconducts examinations for the provision of technology and the acceptance of researchers and students.
For this reason, if it is deemed that there is a risk of falling under regulations, you may be required tochange your desired education or research content. Security Export Control regulations has nothing to dowith passing or failing the entrance examination. Please consult the program office for further details.
* https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/anpo/englishpage.html

11

Privacy Policy(1) Any personal information including applicant’s name and address submitted to SOKENDAI as part of theapplication documents shall be used during the application process such as applicant/examination
procedures, notification of results and admission procedures. After enrollment, personal information shallalso be used for student affairs (school register and course registration), student services (health care,tuition exemption and scholarship application, and career support) and administrative purposes ofprocessing payments for entrance and tuition fees.

25

(2) Personal information obtained in the screening process such as examination results, shall be used for
aggregate analyses of examination results and research for use in the screening process.

26

Important Notes for Applicants to Integrative Evolutionary Science Program(Three-year Doctoral Program)If the application period, program, and the month for the enrollment are the same, multiple applications up to
the second preference are allowed. This program accepts multiple applications with Astronomical Science,
Fusion Science, Molecular Science, Materials Structure Science, Global Environmental Studies, Polar
Science, Basic Biology, Physiological Sciences, and Genetics. However, please note that selection isconducted separately for each program, so be mindful of the examination dates and venues when applying for
multiple programs.
1. Selection Method:
Document screening, English proficiency, and interview will be used for selection.
(1) Document screening: Evaluation of the submitted materials as requested by Integrative Evolutionary
Science Program.
(2) English proficiency: Responding to simple English questions during the interview.
(Note: Except for those taking the interview in English.)(3) Interview: Language choice (Japanese or English) is to be made on the day of the interview.
The interview will cover previous research, future researchplans, research plans, and English proficiency(for those taking the interview in Japanese).
a) Explain your master's course or previous research within 10 minutes.
b) Next, explain your future research plans within 10 minutes, including research objectives, significance,and methods.
c) Subsequently, a question-and-answer session will be conducted based on the information provided.
d) The Q&A may include questions related to the basic knowledge required for research, and for thosetaking the interview in Japanese, questions in English may be included.
(Note: Supplementary materials, one A4 page each, may be distributed for reference in sections a) and b),
but personal manuscripts or materials are not allowed. The use of a whiteboard is permitted if needed, butother devices are not allowed.)
Supplementary materials must be submitted by email to the Integrative Evolutionary Science ResearchCenter Office (hayamajimu@ml.soken.ac.jp) one week before the exam date.
2. Evaluation and Pass/Fail Criteria:(1) Evaluation Criteria: Applicants' enthusiasm, motivation, basic academic ability, expressive skills, logicalreasoning, and suitability as researchers will be assessed through application documents and theinterview.

27

(2) Pass/Fail Criteria: The results of the interview, evaluation based on application documents, and the overall
assessment of the applicant's ability to conduct research over three years will be considered indetermining the pass/fail status.
3. Contact Information:
Address: Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193 Japan
Integrative Evolutionary Science Research Center Office, General Affairs Section, SOKENDAI
Phone: +81-46-858-1595, 1577
Email: hayamajimu@ml.soken.ac.jp
Website: https://ies.soken.ac.jp/en_index.html

28

Ⅳ. List of Faculty Members
Please see the websites below for course subjects and the faculty members.
Program: Integrative Evolutionary Science
URL https://rcies.soken.ac.jp/index_en.html*Faculty members who are scheduled to retire within the standard period of study (5 years from the time ofadmission for the 5-year PhD program, 3 years from the time of admission for the 3-year PhD program)cannot be appointed as supervisors.
About E-mail: Please replace (at) with @.

Hitomi Hongo ・ Associate Professor（+81-46-858-1599, hongou_hitomi(at)soken.ac.jp）＜Environmental Archaeology (Zooarchaeology) and Palaeoanthropology＞
I investigate the socioeconomic and cultural changes of past human societiesthrough therelationship between human groups and the environment. Emergence of sedentary settlements in c.
15000 years ago and domestication of plants and animals brought significant changes in humanhistory and facilitated the development of complex societies. On the other hand, influence of humanactivities on the ecosystem has increased and eventually lead to the global environmental crisis
today. Aiming for an integrative understanding of relationships between humans and theirenvironment in the past, present, and future, I carry out research in southeastern Turkey, one of thedomestication centers, as well as other parts of West Asia. Since domestication is a coevolutionary
process of humans and animals or plants, the process needs to be studied both from biological andsociocultural points of view. Therefore, cooperation of researchers from various fields, such asarchaeology, genetics, environmental sciences, behavioral ecology, and anthropology, is essential
for the investigation of domestication process.
※Scheduled to retire at the end of March 2026
Takumi Tsutaya ・ Assistant Professor（+81-46-858-1561, tsutaya_takumi(at)soken.ac.jp）＜Biological anthropology, Bioarchaeology, Primatology＞
In the Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, we reconstruct the lived experiences, life histories, andevolutionary processes of Hominidae (Homo sapiens and evolutionarily related primates) using
various cross-disciplinary approaches. How were human and primate individuals born, grew up,
reproduce (or not), and died? By revealing these lived experiences, we can investigate the impact of
cultural and natural environmental differences on the evolutionary process over long time scales inhuman evolution. Specifically, data are obtained by applying stable isotope analysis,29

(palaeo)proteomics, and ancient DNA analysis to specimens and materials from the fields ofarchaeology, paleontology, and primate ecology. Such data are interpreted and discussed within theframework of ecology, history, and evolution. This allows us to reconstruct, for example, howchimpanzees and orangutans live in tropical rainforests, childrearing practices in past humanpopulations from the Jomon to the Edo period, and how extant Hominidae had evolved.
Nobuyuki Kutsukake ・ Professor（+81-46-858-1562, kutsu(at)soken.ac.jp）＜Animal behaviour, ethology, behavioral ecology, primatology＞
The observation of animals leads us to a number of questions such as “How do animals live?”, “Whydo animals behave in a certain way?”, “What do animals know and understand?”, and “Why are
there so many species?” A goal of my studies is to understand animal behavior and ecology from astandpoint of evolution. I have two ongoing projects. The first one is on social evolution in groupliving mammals. I want to know how individuals should behave in order to maximize their (inclusive)
fitness in a complex social environment. So far, I have been working on cooperation, conflict, conflict
resolution, and communication in mammals and other vertebrates (birds, amphibians, and fish;
reptiles not yet, unfortunately!). The second one is on phenotypic evolution and comparative
approaches with information of phylogeny. I am applying a new computational framework ofphylogenetic comparative analyses to complex and heterogeneous data to infer processes of trait
evolution.
Yuuki Watanabe ・ Professor （+81-４６‐８５８‐１５０４, watanabe_yuuki (at) soken.ac.jp）＜Ecology, Marine Biology＞
I study the ecology of marine predators (large fishes, marine mammals, and seabirds) using thetechnique called biologging, where miniaturized sensors are attached to animals. With modern
biologging devices, it is now possible to record the behavior, surrounding environment, and internal
state (e.g., body temperature, heart rate) of marine predators. It is also possible to observe what
they do in the water by attaching video cameras to the back of the animals. My main approach is toobtain such data in the field and then analyze data from ecological perspectives, often with theinformation collected using other research methods or from the literature. By doing so, I aim atunderstanding the ecological significance (or ultimate causes) of the behavioral or physiologicaltraits shown by the species in question. My main research target is currently sharks, although I also
conduced many field studies on marine mammals and seabirds in the past. My study areas include
Kochi and Okinawa Prefectures in Japan as well as various areas off Taiwan, Australia, andCanada. In addition, I recently began fieldwork in Sagami Bay near the Hayama Campus of
SOKENDAI. A key component of biologging studies is the development of new devices. Thus, I amcollaborating with several manufacturers in Japan, aiming to record truly innovative data from freemoving marine predators.

30

Yohey Terai・ Associate Professor（+81-46-858-1572, terai_yohei(at)soken.ac.jp）＜Adaptation and speciation process, Bioarchaeology, Primatology＞
Today, many species inhabit the earth, and their interactions generate biodiversity. Biodiversity has
been acquired through “speciation” (one species divides into two species) and through “adaptation”(organisms survive in their habitat). We focus on four primary research areas to elucidate themechanisms of adaptation and speciation in organisms.
○Speciation: a genomic approach
We are studying the speciation of seven macaques endemic to Sulawesi Island and corals based on
genomic analysis.
○Adaptation by symbiosis
We are studying the mechanism of adaptation to a new environment by symbiosis

using a volcano

lichen that grows only in areas where volcanic gases are venting.
○Adaptation to the Human environment
We use the ancient genomes of the Japanese wolf and the ancient dog to study the dogs' origins
and how they have adapted to their living environment with humans.
○Adaptation of vision to light environments
We use fish and reptiles to study how organisms have adapted their vision to different lightenvironments underwater.
Michiyo Kinoshita ・ Associate Professor（+81-46-858-1589,

kinoshita_michiyo(at)soken.ac.jp）＜Behavioral neuroscience, (Neuroethology)Visual ecology＞
The sensory world of animals can be very different from ours. One of the fields to reveal their
sensory world is behavioral neuroscience. My research interest is “Biology of flower foraging
butterflies.” I have studied visual abilities and spectral organization of the compound eye in theJapanese swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus. Papilio butterflies have sophisticated color vision,
which rivals our own. The compound eye, providing the most peripheral light processing, contains atleast six classes of spectral receptors in a complicated manner. Based on the previous studies, we
further explore visual processing in higher brain regions and the integration processes of visual andolfactory signals for flower foraging. I recently started two new projects. One is a comparative study
on the brain structure in Lepidopteran insects. The other is visual ecology to investigate which flower
species butterflies visit in their habitat. These studies would reveal the evolution of flower foraging
behavior.
Takayuki Watanabe ・ Assistant Professor（+81-46-858-1561,

watanabe_takayuki(at)soken.ac.jp）＜Evolutionary developmental neurobiology＞

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Most insects undergo metamorphosis to develop into adults. The brains of holometabolous insects(e.g., flies, butterflies, bees) drastically change their morphology during metamorphosis, which is
required to prepare neural circuits for adult-specific behaviors. On the contrary, the brains of directdeveloping insects (insects develop without pupal stage; e.g., cockroaches, crickets) show
moderate structural changes throughout post-embryonic stages. However, similar toholometabolous insects, adults of direct-developing insects exhibit adult-specific behaviors such as
courtship and mating behaviors, which are not observed in juveniles. This raises a question from theviewpoint of evolutionary developmental biology: when and how the brain of direct-developing
insects becomes adult without the pupal stage? To address this question, Takayuki Watanabe isinvestigating the development of the neural circuits for adult-specific behaviors in a model
hemimetabolous insect Gryllus bimaculatus (two-spotted cricket).
Naoki Irie ・ Professor （+81-46-858-1563,

irie_naoki(at)soken.ac.jp）＜Evolutionary Developmental Biology＞
The evolution of organismal characteristics (phenotypes) is not completely free in any direction, andsome characteristics are more likely to change throughout evolution than others. How do suchdifferences arise? It may simply be due to the difference between the pressures of positive selection
toward different phenotypes. On the other hand, it is also possible that some phenotypes have lesspotential to produce phenotypic variations due to their intrinsic characteristics, which leads to lesschance to diversify. In fact, a growing number of recent theoretical and experimental studies support
this possibility. Then, what is the mechanism behind this difference in phenotypic evolvability? We
aim to answer this question using a variety of methods, including experiments on animals and largescale bioinformatic analyses. Ultimately, we hope to contribute to changing the field of evolutionary
studies from a study that focus mainly on events that happened in the past, but to a field of study
with predictive theories for phenotypic evolution.
Yoko Satta ・ Professor（+81-46-858-1574, satta(at)soken.ac.jp）＜Population Genomics, Evolutionary Physiology＞
Modern humans, Homo sapiens sapiens, migrated from Africa approximately 60,000 years ago andrapidly spread to every corner of the Earth. In this migration process, our ancestors encountered
new environments and developed various cultures to survive. Culture is a strong evolutionary
agency that drives evolution of human and other organisms’genomes. Gene-culture coevolution is
exemplified by lactase persistence alleles in milk-drinking pastoralist populations and Schizophrenia
resistant SNP variants in almost all countries. It is possible to learn the process of culture-driven
evolution by looking at positive Darwinian selection that operates on particular genomic regions. To
this end, we conduct our evolutionary researches on 1) metabolizing enzyme genes, 2)
detoxification enzyme genes, 3) mental disorderrelated genes. In particular, detoxification enzyme
variants are intimately related to metabolisms of luxury grocery items (e.g. spices, coffee, alcohol)
32as well as drugs, both essential to modern life. Learning the history of variants in these systems will
provide some answers about how we got here.
※Scheduled to retire at the end of March 2027
Tatsuya Ota ・ Associate Professor（+81-46-858-1575, ota(at)soken.ac.jp）＜Molecular Evolution＞

As analyses of omics such as genomes and transcriptomes have been progressed for theincreasing number of species, it becomes possible to study an organism as a whole, withrecognizing each and every underlying system as product of complexed products of genes
expressed. In our laboratory, with emphasizing the viewpoints of molecular evolution and population
genetics, a few biosystems have been studied to solve questions such as “How have the mutationsof individual genes led to phenotypical changes and become subject to natural selection?” or “Howhave complex systems been formed through the accumulation of mutations?”. With the aims in
mind, we are conducting specific research on the followings:(1) the evolution of vertebrate immune systems such as adaptive and innate immune systems offishes,(2) Origin and genomic history of domestication of cultivated plants such as Azuki bean andbuckwheat,(3) the evolution of reproductive systems in Polygonaceae, including buckwheat.
Jun Gojobori

・ Lecturer（+81-46-858-1606, gojobori_jun(at)soken.ac.jp）＜Molecular Evolution, Population genetics, Physical Anthropology＞

How our species, Homo sapiens, emerged? To address this question, I take two approaches. One is“to understand the evolution of human specific traits”. The other is “to understand the demographic
history of human after they appeared in Africa”. I study Molecular Evolution and Population Genetics
to understand these processes of human evolution at DNA level. One of the current targets is
tandem repeat of single amino acids, which is called as homopolymeric amino acid repeat. It is
known that unusual length of this repeat causes genetic diseases, which affect central nervous
systems and skeletogenesis. These kinds of diseases related to human specific traits such as large
brain size or bipedal locomotion. I expect that the evolution of homopolymeric amino acid repeats
can be a key to understand human evolution. And there are many projects aim to find markers or
genes that are responsible for human genetic disease. As a consequence of these projects, massive
amount of human SNP data or human genetic variation data are produced. I apply these medical
data to human evolutionary study and try to connect medical and evolutional researches. My interest
is not only limited to human evolution but also includes evolution of primates, mammals andvertebrates.
Hideyuki Tanabe ・ Associate Professor（+81-46-858-1573, tanabe_hideyuki(at)soken.ac.jp）
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＜Molecular Cytogenetics・Chromosome Biology＞
By observing the chromosomes, we can see the history and evolution of life as well as the whole setof genomes of the species. I have been examined how the spatial arrangement of chromosomes
and genes is organized within the cell nucleus by FISH techniques and molecular biologicalapproaches using various cultured cells. Chromosome territories (CTs) in the interphase nucleus
have a radial positioning depending on the gene density and chromosome size. Spatial positioningof CTs shows dynamics and is affected by the gene expression status due to the process ofdevelopment and cell differentiation, physiological environmental changes, aging and tumorigenesis,
and so on. The hierarchical structures from CTs to DNA are as follows: Compartments, TADs
(Topologically Associating Domains), and chromatin structures. The mechanism of how spatiallyregulated of each structure is unknown in many parts. Therefore, I am trying to elucidate themolecular basis of how CTs, compartments, TADs, chromatin are spatially organized by making fulluse of 3D-FISH and genome editing techniques.
Akira Sasaki ・ Professor(+81-46-858-1537, sasaki_akira(at)soken.ac.jp)＜Theoretical Biology＞
Pathogens like human immune deficiency virus and Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agents of
AIDS and sleeping disease, are known to repeatedly change their cell surface coat proteins, thereby
escaping the host immune response and enabling their persistent infection. To predict such rapid
and complicated evolutionary processes of pathogens, we need to develop mathematical models to
describe the evolution of pathogen’s cell surface protein and immune response within an infected
host. With these mathematical models, I have been studying, for example, the antigenic drift of HIV
and influenza viruses to escape host immune system, the evolution of pathogen virulence with hostspatial structure or metapopulation heterogeneity, the evolution of viral mutation rates, and the
optimal strategies for vaccination and drug therapy. Other topics I am studying intensively include
Müllerian mimicry and formation of spatial mosaic, coevolutionary cycles and their geographicalasynchrony, species packing and sympatric speciation, the evolution of division of labor inmutualism, and the evolutionary fragility of mutualist systems.
※Scheduled to retire at the end of March 2025
Hisashi OhtsukiAssociate Professor(+81-46-858-1638, ohtsuki_hisashi(at)soken.ac.jp)＜Mathematical Biology＞
When starved, cells of slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum, aggregate and some of them die toform stalks in order for others to disperse to a better location. In most eusocial insects such as bees
and ants, queens dominate reproduction whereas workers are specialized in various labors in thecolony. Reciprocal cooperation forms a basis of human society. Cooperation is ubiquitous in biology,
yet its evolutionary origin is paradoxical because one can expect the emergence of “socialparasites” which do not pay the cost but enjoy the benefit of cooperation. One of my main goals is to34

theoretically unveil the origin of cooperation. My research topics include: kin recognition in
microorganisms, dynamic optimization in ant colonies, generalization of inclusive fitness theory,interplay between population structure and evolutionary dynamics, indirect reciprocity in humans,evolution of punishment and reward, and evolution of dominance hierarchy. I also work on modelingof animal behavior, species diversity, cultural evolution, social networks, human life-history evolution,and cancer progression. In addition, I study mathematical foundations of evolutionary game theory
and adaptive dynamics theory.
Hideki Innan ・ Professor（+81-46-858-1600, innan_hideki(at)soken.ac.jp）＜Population genetics＞
We aim to theoretically understand the mechanism of molecular evolution. The genetics-based
theory can be applied to a wide range of species. Genomic polymorphism data are analyzed tounderstand how and when Darwinian selection worked in the genome.
Kaori Iida ・ Associate Professor ( +81-46-858-1520, iida_kaori(at)soken.ac.jp)＜History of science and technology＞
My main interests are in history of biology in Japan. I have examined how genetics developed inJapan from the 1920s to 1960s through dynamic social contexts such as modernization, imperial
expansion, postwar reconstruction /democratization, and Cold War. My current interests include how
concepts of radiation and its effects were shaped after the war and what roles the Japanesecommunity played in that shaping.
Yukinori Onishi ・ Lecturer（+81-46-858-1643, oonishi_yukinori(at)soken.ac.jp）＜Philosophy of Science＞
Today, science and technology have a profound impact on every aspect of our lives. While it brings
us tremendous benefits, the emergence of new science and technology can also lead tounprecedented disasters and ethical challenges. Therefore, the relationship between science andsociety has been actively discussed from various aspects and using knowledge from various fields.
Philosophy of science is one of these fields.
To fully understand the relationship between science and society, it is first necessary to understandmore deeply what science is. For example, what characteristics of science make it special anddistinguish it from other activities called “pseudoscience”? Is science affected by social values? If
individual scientists are not influenced by the specific social and cultural context in which they
conduct their research, how is this possible? If they are, does this undermine the authority andrationality of science? These questions have been discussed in the philosophy of science.
My own interest in this area is mainly in the analysis of scientific knowledge. In particular, I havebeen studying the “scientific realism controversy” (the controversy over the approximate truth ofwhat scientific theories say about the world, including unobservable things) and have attempted to35

apply various theories in epistemology (theory of knowledge, justification or warrant) to thiscontroversy. In addition, I am interested in various issues related to scientific representations (howscientific theories represent the world), such as the relationship between so-called “models of data”
and raw data.

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