PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Mikio Takagi

Also known as 高木幹雄

Mikio Takagi was a University of Tokyo professor who worked on image processing, pattern recognition and machine vision, the roots of today's computer vision. At the university's Institute of Industrial Science, he edited a 1991 handbook on image processing algorithms and led image database research with Masaru Kitsuregawa. In 1988, he was Program Chair of the first IAPR Workshop on Computer Vision in Tokyo, and he chaired its successor, the Machine Vision Applications (MVA) series, for about 20 years. The IAPR named him a Fellow in 1994 for contributions to image processing and pattern recognition and service to the IAPR, and he sat on its Governing Board for Japan from 1994 to 1998. He died in 2006.

Born
1899
Died
1966
Works
159
Citations
337
h-index
9
Badges

Years link to their sources. Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 22 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1977

    A report on image processing

    In 1977, he and Morio Onoe issue MIPC Report 77-1, "Contributions to the Field of Image Processing from Applied Electronics Laboratory in 1975 and 1976," through the Multidimensional Image Processing Center at the University of Tokyo's Institute of Industrial Science.

  2. 1983–1993

    Bringing IGARSS to Japan

    At IGARSS 1983 in San Francisco, he asks whether the IEEE geoscience and remote sensing symposium could ever be held in Japan, and he begins planning for it. In 1993, IGARSS takes place in Japan, the first time outside the United States.

  3. 1988

    The first workshop in Tokyo

    In 1988, the first IAPR Workshop on Computer Vision takes place in Tokyo, with Takagi as its Program Chair. The series is renamed the IAPR Workshop on Machine Vision Applications (MVA), and he is its founding chair and chairs the consecutive events for about 20 years.

  4. 1991–1993

    A handbook and image databases

    In January 1991, he and Haruhisa Shimoda edit the Japanese-language Handbook for Image Processing Algorithms, issued by The University of Tokyo Publishing Co. As a professor at the Institute of Industrial Science, he leads a 1991–1992 project on image database systems that use spatial and temporal information, with Masaru Kitsuregawa as co-investigator. In 1993, he is principal investigator of the Environmental Monitoring from Space of East Asia project, a Japan–Korea collaboration in remote sensing.

  5. 1994–1998

    IAPR Fellow and board member

    The IAPR names him a Fellow in 1994 for contributions to image processing and pattern recognition and service to the IAPR. From 1994 to 1998, he serves on its Governing Board as one of the members for Japan.

  6. 1997

    Leaving the Institute of Industrial Science

    He gives his farewell lecture on retiring from the University of Tokyo's Institute of Industrial Science in March 1997. His career continues at Tokyo University of Science and at Shibaura Institute of Technology.

  7. May 2005

    Co-chairing MVA2005 in Tsukuba

    In May 2005, he and Katsuhiko Sakaue co-chair the 9th IAPR Conference on Machine Vision Applications (MVA2005) in Tsukuba Science City, which draws more than 200 participants from 24 countries.

  8. 2006

    Death and a memorial service

    He dies in 2006. A memorial service is held for him in November 2006, and his MVA colleagues establish an organization to carry on his work.

Career

  1. 1997–2003Tokyo University of Science
  2. 1997–2005Shibaura Institute of Technology
  3. 1994–1998International Association for Pattern RecognitionGoverning Board member for Japan
  4. 1972–1999University of TokyoProfessor

From the biography and OpenAlex affiliations (the years of papers that list the organization), so some years are approximate.

Most-cited works

  1. Hash-Partitioned Join Method Using Dynamic Destaging Strategy1988 · Very Large Data Bases · 76 citations
  2. Similarity retrieval of NOAA satellite imagery by graph matching1993 · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering · 22 citations
  3. Changes in Organelle Movement in the Nuclear Region during the Cell Cycle of Adiantum Protonema1984 · Plant and Cell Physiology · 20 citations
  4. Image Classification Using Probabilistic Models that Reflect the Internal Structure of Mixels1999 · Pattern Analysis and Applications · 20 citations
  5. Query processing method for multi-attribute clustered relations1990 · Very Large Data Bases · 16 citations

From OpenAlex, as of 21 October 2026.

  1. People shaping AI work at a median of 3 organizations over a career: 3 for university starters and institute and lab starters, versus 2 for company startersIncludes University of Tokyo. Across 6,853 people shaping AI with a dated work role, we estimate a median of 3 parent organizations over a career (mean 3.6), comparing role groups, starting sectors and starting decades from the 1950s to 2020–2026.
  2. Universities keep AI researchers for a median of 6 years, compared with 2 years at frontier labsIncludes University of Tokyo. Across 15,811 dated work stays (6,529 people), median role tenure runs from 6 years at universities to 2 years at frontier labs. We compare all five organization types, starting decades from the 1970s to the 2020s, and the organizations that keep people longest.
  3. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes University of Tokyo. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  4. The United States employs an estimated 48% of people shaping AIIncludes University of Tokyo. We estimate where the people shaping AI work today, how universities, companies and research institutes split across countries, and how country shares have changed since the 1960s.

Colleagues

People named in this biography, and people with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Mikio Takagi yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. CiNii 図書 - Contributions to the Field of Image Processing from Applied Electronics Laboratory in 1975 and 1976 ci.nii.ac.jp. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. In Memoriam: Professor Mikio Takagi (IAPR Newsletter) iapr.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. About MVA mva-org.jp. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. Condolences from members of the MVA Organization mva-org.jp. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. Late Prof. Takagi mva-org.jp. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. Bibliographical Data of Kohei Arai teagis.ip.is.saga-u.ac.jp. Checked 20 October 2026.
  7. KAKEN — Research Projects | Development of image database systems by using spatial and temporal information (KAKENHI-PROJECT-03555073) kaken.nii.ac.jp. Checked 20 October 2026.
  8. KAKEN — Research Projects | 1993 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary (KAKENHI-PROJECT-05044083) kaken.nii.ac.jp. Checked 20 October 2026.
  9. Chronological List of IAPR Fellows – International Association for Pattern Recognition iapr.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  10. MVA (IAPR Newsletter, MVA2007 report) iapr.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  11. MVA Report (IAPR Newsletter, MVA2005) iapr.org. Checked 20 October 2026.