Ritsumeikan University

Ritsumeikan University operates its educational programs through campuses situated in three Japanese cities which include Kyoto Shiga and Osaka. The university operates as an educational center which specializes in teaching and research while also promoting cultural understanding throughout Western Japan. The university operates according to its original principles which establish "Freedom and Innovation" as its core founding values while "Peace and Democracy" serves as its main educational principle. Ritsumeikan Academy serves as the foundation for the institution which establishes a multicultural space that includes students from every part of the world to develop leaders who can solve complex global challenges.

The university began its existence in 1869 when Prince Saionji Kinmochi established the "Ritsumeikan" private academy at the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The government order to shut down the academy was temporary but Kojuro Nakagawa who had served as the prince's secretary reestablished the institution through his founding of the Kyoto Hosei School which operated as a nighttime law school for working professionals. The institution obtained its Ritsumeikan name in 1913 and became a university when it received approval to operate as one in 1922. The university developed into a complete university system with multiple campuses after President Hiroshi Suekawa implemented democratic changes to the institution following World War II.