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Waseda University (早稲田大学 Waseda Daigaku) is
one of the two most prestigious private universities in
Japan (the other is
Keio University). It is located on the northern side of
Tokyo's
Shinjuku Ward.
The school was founded by
samurai scholar
Okuma Shigenobu in
1882, and was designated a full university in
1902. Much of the campus was destroyed in the firebombings of Tokyo
during
World War II, but the university was rebuilt and reopened by
1949.
Waseda's
literature program is particularly famous, and counts
Murakami Haruki and
Tawara Machi among its graduates. Several prominent politicians,
including
Mori Yoshiro and
Tanaka Makiko, are also Waseda alumni.
A
September 11 victim named
Toshiya Kuge, who was one of the passengers on
United Airlines
Flight 93, was a student at this university.
Waseda was recently involved in the development of the
WL-16 "walking robot."
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