The University of Tokyo will open a financial research center in April.
University of Tokyo spokesman Hiroyuki Kokubo said Friday that Junichi Ujiie, chairman of Nomura Holdings Inc., the nation's top brokerage, will head the research center.
He said the state university made the decision at a meeting of economics professors Thursday.
The university will also set up a graduate course devoted to financial studies to cultivate researchers, businesspeople and policymakers who can compete with their counterparts in the United States and Europe, he said.
He said he could not give more details.
A Japanese daily reported Friday that the university expects the financial research center and new graduate course to help put Japan on par with the U.S. and Europe in the area of finance.