Nihon University was founded in 1889 by Akiyoshi Yamada as Nihon Law School, and the College of Economics was established in 1904, a year after the school was renamed to Nihon University, as the Department of Commerce. In 1934 it was reorganized into the College of Commerce and Economics, and later on split off and renamed as the College of Economics. The College has kept with the school motto and has grown into one of the leading educational institutions in Japan it is today.
| 1889 | Nihon Law School Founded |
| 1903 | Renamed Nihon University |
| 1904 | The Department of Commerce (Present: College of Economics and College of Commerce) Established |
| 1905 | The Department of Commerce Classes Begin |
| 1920 | Establishment of College of Commerce, Department of Commerce Approved by the University Ordinance |
| 1924 | Department of Economics Established in College of Commerce |
| 1934 | College of Commerce Renamed to College of Commerce and Economics |
| 1944 | College of Commerce and Economics Renamed to College of Economics |
| 1949 | Under New Educational System, College of Economics Split Into Department of Economics and Department of Business Administration |
| 1951 | Graduate School of Economics, Master’s Program Established (Economics Major) |
| 1952 | Department of Business Administration Renamed Department of Commerce |
| 1953 | Graduate School of Economics, Doctoral Program Established (Monetary Economics Major) |
| 1957 | Department of Commerce in College of Economics Becomes Independent as College of Commerce, Department of Commerce |
| 1963 | College of Commerce Split Off to Kinuta Building |
| 1964 | Department of Industrial Management Established |
| 1976 | Graduate School of Economics, Doctoral Program (Monetary Economics Major) Removed, Doctoral Program (Economics Major) Established |
| 1989 | International Course Established in Department of Economics |
| 2002 | Building 7 Completed |
| 2004 | 100th Anniversary |
| 2010 | Department of Finance and Public Economics Established |
| 2017 | Building 3 Completed |