Abstract: This article explores how Tokyo Imperial University, the oldest Japanese state university, came to be perceived as the top school in meritocratic Japan. Educational sociologists have investigated the institutionally defined hierarchy among universities in modern Japan but have rarely debated why the hierarchy persisted after the abolishment of privileges given exclusively to students of Tokyo Imperial University. This article historicizes the university’s superiority as an idea reshaped through the expansion of higher education and competition among institutions. It reveals a paradox of meritocracy: the idea of merit was discursively eclipsed as more aspirants competed for educational credentials in modern Japan.

中文翻译：

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东京帝国大学的霸权与现代日本的精英主义悖论

摘要：本文探讨了日本最古老的国立大学东京帝国大学如何成为精英日本的顶尖学校。教育社会学家研究了现代日本大学之间制度上定义的等级制度，但很少辩论为什么在废除东京帝国大学学生专属特权后等级制度仍然存在。本文将大学的优势历史化为一种通过高等教育的扩张和机构之间的竞争而重塑的理念。它揭示了精英统治的一个悖论：在现代日本，随着越来越多的有抱负的人争夺教育证书，功绩的概念逐渐黯然失色。