d. Academic Degree System

From 1879, the graduates of the University of Tokyo were awarded a bachelor's degree (gakushi) at an annual degree awarding ceremony. Also, graduates of the Engineering Grand School (Kobu Daigakko), Sapporo School of Agriculture (Sapporo Nogakko) and Komaba School of Agriculture (Komaba Nogakko) were awarded bachelor's degrees. However, according to the 1886 Imperial University Order the bachelor's degree ceased to exist as an academic degree and became simply a title given to graduates of the various Colleges of the Imperial University. On the other hand, Education Minister Mori Arinori set up a detailed system of academic rank, and on May 21, 1887, the 1887 Academic Degree Order was promulgated. According to this Order, two academic ranks were set up, doctor and great doctor. There were five types of doctors - in law, medicine, engineering, literature and science - to be awarded to individuals who completed their studies at the Graduate School of the Imperial University and passed an appropriate examination as well as to others with a similar level of achievement. The former were determined directly by the Minister of Education while the latter required the recommendation of the Imperial University Council. The system for awarding the degree of great doctor called for the Minister of Education to make an inquiry to the Conference of Doctors and then to submit a report on the recommendation of the Conference to the Cabinet for its approval. While the great doctorate never saw realization, the doctorate was steadily awarded on the basis on this system. Then in 1893 when a system of faculty meetings for the individual Colleges of the Imperial University was established, it was decided that in cases of the awarding based on the recommendation of the Imperial University Council these faculty meetings would beforehand examine those candidates for whom the University Council would make the determination of recipients.

On December 10, 1898, the 1898 Academic Degree Order was promulgated, which had no provision for the great doctorate. Doctors were to be divided into nine types and to be awarded by the Minister of Education to individuals who completed their studies at graduate schools of Imperial Universities and passed an appropriate examination as well as to others who submitted dissertations and were recognized by faculty meetings of individual colleges of Imperial Universities as those with a similar level of achievement. In addition, the Minister of Education could award degrees to individuals who were recognized by the respective Societies of Doctors (Hakushikai) as those with such a level of achievement as to be awarded a doctorate. Degrees could also be awarded by the Minister of Education to those professors of colleges of Imperial Universities who were recommended by presidents of these universities. The deprivation of degrees was also provided for in this Order.

The 1898 Academic Degree Order was replaced by the 1920 Academic Degree Order, which was promulgated and put in force on July 6, 1920. According to the 1920 Academic Degree Order, the right of awarding degrees moved from the Minister of Education to the universities on condition that the awarding should be subject to the approval of the Minister of Education. At the same time the system of recommendation was abolished leaving universities with the task of examining dissertations submitted by those who studied for at least two years at graduate courses of individual faculties of universities and other candidates as a basis for awarding degrees. And types of degrees to be awarded by the respective universities were determined beforehand by the universities with the approval of the Minister of Education.