Yoshi Tokura, a condensed-matter physicist, received Ph.D in applied physics from University of Tokyo in 1981. Since 1994, he has been a professor at Department of Applied Physics, the University of Tokyo, and appointed to University Distinguished Professor in 2017. During this period, he has concurrently led several research projects and research institutes, e.g., Group Leader, Joint Research Center for Atom Technology (JRCAT) (1993–2002), and Center Director, Correlated Electron Research Center (CERC), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) (2001–2008). He is a Founding Director of RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) (2013–Present).

His research interest is in strongly correlated electron systems and topological aspects of condensed matters. The diverse research topics he has worked on as a pioneer include electron-doped high-temperature superconductors, Mott transitions in perovskites, photo-induced phase transition phenomena, colossal magnetoresistance, multiferroics, magnetic skyrmion, magnetic topological insulator, organic molecular ferroelectrics, etc.