Some of his notable students include Morito Tatsuo, Ōuchi Hyōei, and Maide Chogoro [ja].

Takano was also one of the founding members of the Shakai Seisaku Gakkai [ja], a research organization.

Not only was Takano's goal to ground the curriculum in empirical research, but he also hoped that being independent would lead to more political activism within the department.

[4] Even though the department had been established, Takano left the university in 1920 to head the Ohara Institute for Social Research [ja].

After World War II, he helped to form the Japan Socialist Party and was part of the Constitution Investigation Association.