Profile

Kenji Itao is an Assistant Professor (PI) at the Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, where he leads his own laboratory. Born in 1996, he received a Ph.D. in Arts and Sciences from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the University of Tokyo, in 2024. He received the President’s Award of the University of Tokyo in 2021, the JSPS Ikushi Prize in 2024, and the MEXT Young Scientists’ Award in 2026.

He specializes in statistical physics, complex systems theory, and evolutionary anthropology, and studies the mechanisms through which human social structures evolve. In particular, he asks why similar cultural patterns and social structures repeatedly appear across societies separated by time and region, and approaches phenomena described in anthropology and history from a theoretical perspective.

He argues that recurrent patterns in human history reflect underlying mechanisms that generate culture wherever humans form societies, and he seeks to build "Universal Anthropology" that explains these shared structures through mathematical modeling.

Employment

Assistant Professor, Creative Interdisciplinary Research Division, Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University

2026.04 – Present

Creative Interdisciplinary Research Division, Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University

Elucidating the Generative Principles of Social Institutions through Evolutionary Dynamical-Systems Game Theory: Toward Universal Anthropology

Associated Researcher, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature

2025.05 – 2026.03

Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, NIHU / PI: Dr. Ryosuke Nakadai

Interconnections and Co-Creation of Humans, Culture, and Nature through Ritual and Positive and Negative Relational Values

Special Postdoctoral Researcher, RIKEN Center for Brain Science

2024.04 – 2026.03

RIKEN Center for Brain Science / PI: Dr. Wataru Toyokawa

A Constructive Description of Social Structure through Multilevel Evolutionary Theory

Visiting Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

2022.04 – 2024.03

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany / PI: Dr. Heidi Colleran

Demonstrating spontaneous organization of social structures using evolutionary simulation.

JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC1)

2021.04 – 2024.03

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

Universality in the Emergence of Family System and Social Structure

Research Assistant, WINGS-ABC, The University of Tokyo

2019.06 – 2024.03

World-leading Innovative Graduate Study Program of Advanced Basic Science, The University of Tokyo

Establishing Universal Principles of Human Behavior and Social Systems through Multilevel Interactions

Education

Ph.D. in Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo

2021.01 – 2024.12

The University of Tokyo / Ph.D. in Arts and Sciences / Supervisor: Prof. Koji Hukushima

In the doctoral program at the University of Tokyo, I studied the emergence of human social structure through statistical physics, complex systems theory, and cultural evolution at Koji Hukushima's laboratory.

M.A. in Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo

2019.01 – 2021.12

The University of Tokyo / M.A. in Arts and Sciences / Supervisor: Prof. Kunihiko Kaneko

In the master’s program at the University of Tokyo, I worked on theoretical studies of social structure using multilevel evolutionary models at Kunihiko Kaneko's laboratory.

B.A. in Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo

2015.04 – 2019.03

The University of Tokyo / B.A. in Arts and Sciences / Supervisor: Prof. Kunihiko Kaneko

Received a B.A. in Arts and Sciences from the University of Tokyo.

Awards

  • 2026-04-15
    The Young Scientists’ Award, The Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
    Received The Young Scientists’ Award in the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for research on generative principles of human social structure using mathematical models.
  • 2025-08-22
    Research Encouragement Award, Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan
    Received the Research Encouragement Award from the Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan.
  • 2025-03-20
    Young Scientist Award, The Physical Society of Japan
    Received the Young Scientist Award from the Physical Society of Japan.
  • 2025-02-05
    Inoue Research Award
    Received the Inoue Research Award from the Inoue Foundation for Science.
  • 2024-12-09
    Young Presentation Award, Human Behavior and Evolution Society of Japan
    Received the Young Presentation Award from the Human Behavior and Evolution Society of Japan.
  • 2024-03-21
    Ichiko Memorial Award (Doctoral), The University of Tokyo
    Received the Ichiko Memorial Award (Doctoral) from the University of Tokyo.
  • 2024-01-18
    JSPS Ikushi Prize
    Received the JSPS Ikushi Prize.
  • 2022-03-17
    Student Presentation Award, The Physical Society of Japan
    Received the Student Presentation Award from the Physical Society of Japan.
  • 2021-10-10
    Young Member Presentation Award, Anthropological Society of Nippon
    Received the Young Member Presentation Award from the Anthropological Society of Nippon.
  • 2021-06-11
    Cultural Evolution Society Local Student Presenter Award
    Received the Local Student Presenter Award from the Cultural Evolution Society.
  • 2021-03-19
    Ichiko Memorial Award (Master’s), The University of Tokyo
    Received the Ichiko Memorial Award (Master’s) from the University of Tokyo.
  • 2021-03-19
    President’s Award, The University of Tokyo
    Received the President’s Award from the University of Tokyo.
  • 2020-12-13
    Young Presentation Award, Human Behavior and Evolution Society of Japan
    Received the Young Presentation Award from the Human Behavior and Evolution Society of Japan.