Imperial University series (Tokyo University, Kyoto University, Tohoku University, Osaka University, Nagoya University, Kyushu University and Hokkaido University) represent the highest level of higher education in Japan. A series of first-class national universities (tokyo institute of technology, hitotsubashi university, Tsukuba University, Kobe University, Hiroshima University, Chiba University and Yokohama National University) are comparable in strength to Imperial University and even surpass Imperial University in some areas. A series of first-class public universities (Tokyo Capital University, yokohama city university, Nagoya City University, osaka city university, osaka prefecture university, Kyoto Prefectural University, Hyogo Prefectural University, etc. ) represents the highest level of Japanese public universities. A series of first-class private universities (Waseda University, Keio University, sophia university, Tokyo University of Science, International Christian University, etc. ) have the strength to compete with first-class national universities. /zd/xx