Guidelines for JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

Short-term Postdoctoral Fellowships

Short-term JSPS postdoctoral fellowships provide opportunities to young and excellent North American and European predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers to conduct, under the guidance of their hosts, cooperative research with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions. The program aims to help such researchers advance their own research while expanding opportunities for them to come to Japan, thus advancing scientific exchange between Japan and participating countries.

Eligibility

Short-term postdoctoral fellowship candidates must meet the following two conditions as of April 2024 and during the fellowship period:

1. Possess either the nationality or citizenship of the nominating country or be a permanent resident of that country. Also eligible are persons who have been engaged in research continuously for a period of at least three years (* see note) at a university or research institution in an eligible country. Such persons must be from a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan or from Taiwan or Palestine, have conducted research continuously for three or more years before JSPS’s application submittal deadline, and must possess an excellent research record. To submit your application through the National Institutes of Health, you must be a U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, or National.
2. Hold a doctorate degree obtained from outside Japan when the Fellowship goes into effect, which must have been received within six years (** see note) prior to the date the fellowship goes into effect (i.e., awarded on or after April 2, 2018), or be enrolled in a doctoral course and be scheduled to receive a Ph.D. within two years from the starting date of the Fellowship.
3. Have arranged in advance a research plan with his/her Japanese host.
   • Those who have previously been awarded a fellowship under the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Foreign Researchers — Standard (P), Short-term (PE), and Pathways to University Positions in Japan (PU) — are not eligible.
     
   • Short-term JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for North American and European Researchers are only awarded once per researcher.
   • Persons of Japanese nationality are not eligible to apply, nor are those of dual nationality if one is Japanese.
     
   • Those who have resident cards with mailing addresses in Japan at the time of application are not eligible.
     
   • If a document certifying the Ph.D. acquisition status is not submitted by the deadline, the fellowship will be cancelled or withdrawn. Details are set out in the Program Guidelines that will be sent with an Award Letter.
   • If it becomes known even after being selected that a candidate does not possess application eligibility, his/her selection is to be cancelled or eligibility terminated during the fellowship period. In such cases, the candidate (Invited Overseas Researcher) is required to reimburse JSPS his/her already-paid allowances.
     
     

* Researchers who have continuously carried out their research for three or more years minus time taken for maternity and/or parental leave. (Every four weeks of leave is counted as one month, with any remaining weeks also counted as one month. These months are subtracted from number of years that the researcher has continuously carried out his/her research.) In this case, separate submission documents are required. Please consult with JSPS in advance via the host institution.

** Researchers who obtained their Ph.D. within six years minus time taken for maternity and/or parental leave. (Every four weeks of leave is counted as one month, with any remaining weeks also counted as one month. These months are subtracted from the number of years elapsed since the researcher’s Ph.D. was received.) In this case, separate submission documents are required. Please consult with JSPS in advance via the host institution.

Period

From 1 to 12 months (full months)

This fellowship is provided in full month units.

• The fellowship period covers the period from the day a fellow (invited overseas researcher) coming from abroad arrives at an airport in Japan, which is the day that the fellowship starts, to the day that the fellow departs from an airport in Japan, which is the day that the fellowship ends. (This does not apply to fellows who reside in Japan before or after the fellowship period.)
• The fellow must reside in Japan continuously over the duration of the fellowship. The duration of the fellowship may not be divided into multiple stays.

Starting Dates

Fellows must start their fellowships in Japan between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025.

Long-term Postdoctoral Fellowships

Long-term JSPS postdoctoral fellowships provide opportunities for young and excellent postdoctoral researchers from other countries to conduct, under the guidance of their hosts, cooperative research with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions. The program allows such researchers to advance their own research while contributing to the progress of research in Japan and the counterpart countries.

Eligibility

Long-term postdoctoral fellowship candidates must meet the following two conditions as of April 2024 and during the fellowship period:

• Possess either the nationality or citizenship of the nominating country or be a permanent resident of that country. To submit your application through the National Institutes of Health, you must be a U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, or National.
• Hold a doctorate degree when the Fellowship goes into effect, which must have been received within six years prior to the fellowship goes into effect (i.e., awarded on or after April 2, 2018), or be scheduled to receive a doctorate degree before the Fellowship goes into effect.
• Have arranged in advance a research plan with his/her Japanese host.

Those who have previously been awarded a fellowship under the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Foreign Researchers (excluding short-term Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for North American and European Researchers and the Summer Program) are not eligible.

Persons who are Japanese citizen and foreigners who are permitted permanent residence in Japan are not eligible.

• Researchers who obtained their Ph.D. within six years minus time taken for maternity and/or parental leave. (Every four weeks of leave is counted as one month, with any remaining weeks also counted as one month. These months are subtracted from the number of years elapsed since the researcher’s Ph.D. was received.) In this case, separate submission documents are required. Please consult with JSPS in advance via the host institution
  
• If it becomes known even after being selected that a candidate (Invited Overseas Researcher) does not possess application eligibility, his/her selection may be cancelled, or eligibility terminated during the fellowship period. In such cases, the candidate (Invited Overseas Researcher) may be required to reimburse JSPS his/her already-paid allowances.

Period

From 12 to 24 months (full months)

This fellowship is provided in full month units.

• The fellowship period covers the period from the day a fellow (invited overseas researcher) coming from abroad arrives at an airport in Japan, which is the day that the fellowship starts, to the day that the fellow departs from an airport in Japan, which is the day that the fellowship ends. (This does not apply to fellows who reside in Japan before or after the fellowship period.)
• The fellow must reside in Japan continuously over the duration of the fellowship. The duration of the fellowship may not be divided into multiple stays.

Starting Dates

Fellows must start their fellowships in Japan between April 1, 2024, and November 30, 2024.

Fields of Research

All fields of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences are included under this program. NIH prioritizes research in the field of medicine and natural sciences.

Terms of Award

1. A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS regulations).
2. A monthly maintenance allowance of 362,000 yen for fellows with a Ph.D. at the start of tenure; 200,000 yen for fellows without a Ph.D. at the start of tenure.
3. A settling-in allowance of 200,000 yen (only for Fellows with three or more months of tenure).
4. Overseas travel accident and sickness insurance coverage.
   • The amounts of the awards indicated above are subject to change for budgetary reasons.
   • No settling-in allowance will be provided if the Fellow resides in Japan before the fellowships starts and only the "Airfare" for the return flight will be paid.
     
   • A "research-support allowance" (grant-in-aid for scientific research) is available to cover cooperative research-related expenses. Application is made by the host researcher through their institution. For details, please see the application guidelines for the Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Research Fellows.
   • The following applies to the short-term fellowship only. The monthly allowance of ¥362,000 shall be paid to the fellows who have submitted their Ph.D. diploma or doctoral degree certificate before the starting date of their fellowship. If none of the aforementioned documents are submitted, the monthly allowance shall be ¥200,000. If a Ph.D. diploma or doctoral degree certificate is submitted after the starting date of the fellowship, the amount of the monthly allowance will be increased for the first payment from the following month after the date of submission of the documents to JSPS. However, the amount already paid will not be increased retroactively.

Host Researchers and Host Institutions in Japan

Host researchers are required to satisfy the following two conditions at the time of application, at the time of selection, and during the fellowship period.

1. Be affiliated with a research institution specified in Article 2(*) of the Procedure for the Handling of Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI), issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), be eligible to apply for a KAKENHI grant–in-aid, and wish to host an overseas researcher.
2. Be a full-time researcher. However, researchers who are not employed full time may be eligible if the host institutions judge them able to execute their responsibility to carrying out the program uninterruptedly throughout the fellow’s tenure including providing them a suitable research environment (e.g., laboratory, space, facilities and personnel) in the same way that a full-time researcher would be able to do.

(*) Eligible host institutions specified under the above MEXT Procedure are as follows:

1. Universities and inter-university research institutes
2. MEXT-affiliated institutions engaged in research
3. Colleges of technology
4. Institutions designated by the Minister of MEXT

A fellow’s host researcher may not be changed during the fellowship tenure. Therefore, if it is known at the time of application that the host researcher will retire, due to reaching retirement age or other reason, during a candidate’s fellowship tenure, they should not be a host researcher.

Application Procedures

Applications for this program must be submitted to JSPS through an overseas nominating authority. Application process is as follows:

1. Contact is made between an overseas scientist who wishes to conduct cooperative research in Japan and his/her prospective host.
2. Contact Mili Ferreira at mili.ferreira@nih.gov to request and submit the application packet.
3. The overseas scientist submits an application to a nominating authority.
4. Nominating authority conducts scientific evaluation to select the candidates and nominates them to JSPS.
5. Approximately three months after the nomination, JSPS will send out a notice of selection decision to both the candidate and submitting nominating authority.
   • JSPS does not find or introduce host researchers.
   • Application deadlines and selection procedures differ by each nominating authority.
   • When setting the starting date of fellowships, adequate time should be allowed for application processing: e.g., application screening by the nominating authority (depending on authorities) and selection decision-making by JSPS (approximately three months).
   • In addition to receiving applications through overseas nominating authorities, JSPS also accepts applications from Japanese researchers who agree to host a foreign researcher (open recruitment). For details on this application channel, please see JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Foreign Researchers.
   • Parallel applications for the same program through multiple overseas nominating authorities and/or with different host researchers in the same fiscal year are not allowed

Materials to be Submitted

1. Application form (research data) written by each candidate in English. Image data of nominee’s signature pasted on the form is acceptable.
2. A signed letter of acceptance/invitation on letterhead from the candidate's prospective host researcher in Japan, stating that he/she accepts the candidate at his/her institution during the period of the fellowship tenure. The letter should be signed by the host themselves.
3. A signed letter of reference/recommendation on letterhead from the candidate's doctoral supervisor (not from his/her prospective host researcher in Japan).
4. A copy of the candidate’s Ph.D. degree diploma or his/her Ph.D. degree certificate. If the degree has not yet been awarded, a letter is required from the candidate’s institution stating the date that s/he will officially be awarded the degree. In that case, the candidate should submit to JSPS the Ph.D. degree certificate or Ph.D. diploma promptly before starting his/her fellowship. The diploma or certificate should be signed or stamped with an official seal.
   
   [Short-term Fellowship Applicants] For candidates who are not scheduled to be awarded a doctoral degree by the time the fellowship starts, one of the following documents (copy) may be submitted in lieu of a document from the university stating the date (***see note) the Ph.D. will be awarded.
   1. Certificate of doctoral course enrollment (showing that the candidate is scheduled to be awarded a Ph.D. degree within two years from the fellowship starting date.)
   2. A document written and signed by the candidate’s supervisor stating that s/he is scheduled to be awarded a Ph.D. degree within two years from the fellowship starting date. (If the candidate’s supervisor writes a letter of recommendation for the candidate, this content may be included in it.)
   
   *** Under the JSPS program, the date of degree award is the date that the issuing university awarded the degree. It is not the date that Fellows orally defended their dissertation (viva voce) or completed a doctoral course.
5. Supplementary documents (if necessary).
   • The application form can be submitted electronically in PDF format. The application and letters must be signed documents.
   • All documents must be in either English or Japanese. When the original document is in another language, please be sure to attach an English translation (which does not to need be an official translation, but may be done by the host or candidate).
     

Notification of Award

JSPS will email the notification of award accompanying documents to successful. The hard copy (original) award letter and related documents for successful applicants and host researchers will be sent to the host institutions.

Notice

1. False information, etc., in the application form
   Should JSPS determine any information in an application to be falsified, plagiarized or otherwise flawed, including a forged signature, the application will be rejected or, if already awarded, the fellowship withdrawn.
2. Response to acts of research misconduct and funding misuse

   Measures such as the termination of application screening, cancellation of selection decisions, requirement to refund part or all of already allocated funding may be taken when researchers or others are determined to have done the following: misused research funds or committed specific research misconduct (forgery, falsification, plagiarism) when conducting research activities; committed any form of human rights violation (e.g. racial discrimination, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, academic harassment, power harassment, abuse of authority, neglect); violated laws; made false statements in an application (including an unauthorized diversion of signature).

   JSPS’s policy for handling the misuse of research funds, etc. is specified in the publicly released “Rules for Responding to Misconduct and Misuse of Funds in Research Activities” (Enacted on December 6, 2006 (Rule No. 19 of 2006)). Please refer to it for detailed information. https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-inv/guideline/data/regulation_e.pdf

3. System for implementing the “Guidelines for Responding to Misconduct in Research”

   When making proposals to JSPS and conducting research activities, research institutions are to follow the “Guidelines for Responding to Misconduct in Research” (adopted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), August 26, 2014). If MEXT judges via the results of an inspection that a research institution’s system is inadequate or defective, it or an independent administrative institution under MEXT’s jurisdiction may cut or reduce the indirect budget allocation of the institution’s competitive funding.

   Guidelines for Responding to Misconduct in Research https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/jinzai/fusei/1359618.htm

4. Research ethics education coursework

   To promote the proper conduct of research activities and prevent misconduct in advance, it is first necessary to raise the level of researcher ethics within research institutions. Host institutions (host researcher’s institutions) are therefore to establish educational courses for fellows to take in research ethics.

   (References) Learning materials on avoiding misconduct in research activities

   1. For the Sound Development of Science—The Attitude of a Conscientious Scientist—by Editing Committee of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
   2. e-Learning Course on Research Ethics [eL CoRE]
   3. APRIN e-learning program (eAPRIN)
   4. Research ethics courses conducted by institutions based on the “Guidelines for Responding to Misconduct in Research” (Adopted by MEXT, August 26, 2014)
5. Issues relevant to human right protection and legal compliance

   When the proposed research involves issues such as a requirement to obtain the research subject’s consent or the cooperation of a third party, or consideration in the handling of personal information, or actions related bioethics and/or biosafety (including guidelines and policies used by the counterpart country in conducting international joint research and by the countries/regions in which the research will be implemented), describe the measures and actions planned for handling such issues.

   This applies to research activities that require approval by an internal or external information committee or ethics jury, such as for research involving questionnaire surveys, interviews and/or behavior surveys (including personal histories and images), surveys of domestic or overseas cultural properties, research involving personal information, the handling of donated specimens, invasive properties, human genome analysis, recombinant DNA, and experimentation with animals. In such cases, describe concretely the status of your processing and procedures.

6. Ability to conduct international joint research activities, feasibility
   Applicants who are or have carried out international joint research activities should clearly specify those activities if their content is related to the Postdoctoral Fellowship for which they are currently applying. If the counterpart country has travel restrictions, etc., please prepare your application to include specific plans for travel overseas and to Japan based on the best possible assumptions given the situation of travel restrictions at the time of application.
7. Handling of personal information

   Personal information contained in application materials will be strictly controlled in accordance with the “Act on the Protection of Personal Information” and JSPS’s own regulations for protecting personal information. JSPS uses such information exclusively for the purpose of implementing its program (JSPS may use personal data when disseminating information about its operations and programs, and it may entrust personal data to external companies for the purpose of conducting electronic processing and management of the data.)

   If selected for a fellowship, candidates should note that their name, nationality, title and affiliated organization, research theme, fellowship tenure, host institution, host researcher’s name and title, and research reports may be given public access.

   For researchers located within the European Economic Area including the EU and in the UK, their agreement is to be obtained to follow the above-stated “handling of personal information” in line with the “General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).” https://www.ppc.go.jp/enforcement/infoprovision/laws/GDPR (Japanese only)

8. Ensuring research integrity against new risks as a consequence of the globalization and openness of research activities

   In order to promote the augment of science, technology, and innovation in Japan, we must continue to enhance overseas joint research with various partners based on the principle of open science. Concurrently, the new risks as a consequence of the globalization and openness of research activities have been possible to impair the basis of research environment such as openness and transparency, and to unknowingly involve researchers to take risk of a conflict of interest or a conflict of responsibilities. In such climate, it is vital for our country to build a globally reliable research environment to protect the values that constitute the basis of research environment while encouraging necessary global collaboration and international exchanges.

   Therefore, universities and institutions are required to establish regulations/rules and control management related to the conflict of interest and the conflict of responsibility based on “Policy on Measures to Ensure Research Integrity Against New Risks as a Consequence of the Globalization and Openness of Research Activities (April 27, 2021, Decision of Council for Science, Technology and Innovation)." It is significantly essential for researchers and universities/institutions to proactively ensure the research integrity in each research activity.

9. Security trade control (preventing technology leakage outside Japan)

   Much research on cutting-edge technologies is being conducted in Japan’s research institutions. Along with Japan’s advancing internationalization, there has been an increase in the number of foreign students and overseas researchers residing in Japan. This has increased the risk of advanced technologies and research materials and equipment leaking out and for them to be used in the development and production of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Therefore, when research institutions conduct research activities of any kind, including the contracted program, they should take systematic measure to keep research results and products that can be diverted to military use out of the hands of WMD developers, terrorist groups, and other persons whose activities are suspect.

   In Japan, export controls (*1) are carried out under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (Act No. 228 of 1949) (hereinafter referred to as “FEFTA”). Therefore, in principle, in order to export (provide) goods and technologies regulated by the FEFTA, it is necessary to obtain permission of the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.

   Starting with the FEFTA, Fellows must follow all of Japan’s pertinent laws and ordinances, guidelines, and directives. If research is conducted in violation of these laws and ordinances, measures and penalties prescribed in them may be enforced along with the termination of the candidate’s research funding or their scheduled allocation of research funding.

   (*1) Export controls Japan's Security Export Control System established on the basis of international agreements mainly consists of (1) “List Control” which requires permission of the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in principle when exporting goods or providing technologies that carry specifications and/or functions higher than certain levels, such as carbon fiber and numerically controlled machine tools, etc., and (2) “Catch-all regulation” which requires permission of the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry when exporting goods or providing technologies that are not subject to regulation under the List control but do fall under certain regulatory requirements (application requirements, consumer requirements and/or informed requirements).

   Not only export of goods but also provision of technologies can be subject to regulation under the FEFTA. When providing a “List Control” Technologies to nonresidents (including residents in the Specific Categories (*2)) or providing it in a foreign country, prior permission for the provision is required. “Provision of technologies” includes not only providing technical information such as design drawings, specifications, manuals, samples, and prototypes via storage media such as paper, mail, CD, USB memory, but also providing work knowledge and technical assistance at seminars through technical instruction, skill training, etc.

   (*2) The term “Specific Categories” refers to the types of residents that are heavily influenced by nonresidents. It also indicates the specific types of residents who fall under the clauses in 1 (3)Sa ①thru ③ of the “Notification for Transactions or Acts of Transferring Technology Requiring Permission pursuant to Article 25 (1) of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (FEFTA) and Article 17 (2) of the Foreign Exchange Order (FOE).”

   In accordance with FEFTA, a security export control structure must be established when exporting List Control Goods or providing List Control Technologies to a foreign country. (*3) For this reason, prior to entering into a contract (when the grant decision is made), Fellows may be asked if they have any plans to export goods and/or technologies that are subject to export restrictions under the FEFTA as a result of this contracted program and, if there is an intent to export, they will be asked whether or not there is a management system in place to control such exports.

   (*3) Exporters are mandated to comply with the "Compliance Requirements for Exporters" set forth in Article 55-10 (1) of the FEFTA. The security export control structure here refers to an organization's internal control system to prevent unauthorized exports and other acts by appropriately exporting List Control Goods or providing List Control Technologies to foreign countries, based on the control system in the "Compliance Requirements for Exporters".

   For details on Security Export Control, please see the following websites.

   • Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: Security Export Control (General)
   • Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: “Handbook on Security Export Control” (Japanese only)
   • Center for Information on Security Export Controls
   • "Guidance for the Control of Sensitive Technologies for Security Export for Academic and Research Institutions 3rd Edition” (Japanese only)
   • Notification for Transactions or Acts of Transferring Technology Requiring Permission pursuant to Article 25 (1) of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act and Article 17 (2) of the Foreign Exchange Order (Japanese only)
10. Strict enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2321

    In response to North Korea’s conducting nuclear tests in September 2016 and its successive ballistic missile launches, the UN Security Council met on 30 November 2016 (New York local time) and adopted Resolution 2321, which added and significantly strengthened sanctions imposed on North Korea. Consequently, on 17 February 2017, MEXT issued a request to its cognizant organizations to strictly enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 2321.

    Not limited to technologies restricted under Japan’s Foreign Exchange Law, Item 11 of this Resolution suspends all scientific and technical cooperation with North Korea with the exception of medical exchanges. Research organizations are required to bear the stipulations of this Resolution in mind when carrying out their various research activities.

    To read United Nations Security Council Resolution 2321, please go the following website: https://www.undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=S%2FRES%2F2321(2016)&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop&LangRequested=False

11. Use of Generative AI
    Using generative AI when preparing your application risks an unintentional infringement of copyrights and leakage of personal or confidential information. It is the applicant’s responsibility to consider this risk when deciding whether to use generative AI.
12. Approximate number of fellowships awarded and amounts of financial support
    The approximate number of fellowships awarded and amounts of financial support are subject to change for budgetary reasons.
13. Obligations and procedures after being provisionally selected
    Candidates, host researchers and host institutions should read the “Program Guidelines” enclosed with the award letter for information on their obligations under the program, procedures to be carried out, and rules to be followed (e.g. conditions for taking temporary leaves of absence, for using the research support allowance). You may refer to the past Program Guidelines posted below. https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-fellow/guideline_03.html
14. FAQ
    FAQ on this program are provided on the following websites. Please refer to them if there is something unclear to you with regard to making an application or procedures to follow after you are selected. https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-fellow/faq.html

Obligation of the Fellow and Host Researcher (Including Measures Against Misconduct and Misuse of Funds)

The host researchers, fellows and host institutions should bear the following ten points in mind when applying for the program, and should observe them if selected for a fellowship. After selection, they will be expected to observe the regulations and procedures stipulated in the Program Guidelines for the JSPS International Fellowship Program. If either the fellow or host researcher should fail to do so, the fellowship may be withdrawn, allowances (including airfares) stopped, and already-paid allowances (including research grants) reclaimed.

1. So as to allow the smooth progress of the fellow’s research in Japan, before submitting an application, the host researcher shall fully inform the candidate of conditions at the host laboratory, including his/her status under the fellowship, and will ascertain the candidate’s acknowledgement to accept those conditions.
2. The host researcher will, in cooperation with the administration office of the host institution, provide a suitable arrangement for the fellow to pursue his/her joint research and other research activities. The host will also assist the fellow, when needed, with immigration processing (including applying for a “certificate of eligibility”), securing domicile and other matters related to his/her stay in Japan.
3. During the fellowship tenure, the host researcher is advised not to commit such acts equivalent to human rights violations (e.g. discrimination, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, academic harassment, power harassment, abuse of authority or neglect) and should be particularly careful not to say or do anything that could be interpreted as committing such acts. If a researcher should commit such an unethical act and be punished via measures imposed by the host institution, they will be restricted from applying for a JSPS International Fellowship for a period of five years starting from the day that the punishment is administered.
4. During their tenures, fellows shall not, either in or outside the host institution, infringe in any way on the human rights of others, including racial or gender discrimination or other forms of abuse.
5. As a rule, fellows shall stay in Japan continuously during the tenure of their fellowships and concentrate on their research at the host institution. Fellow may not engage in other work, neither paid nor unpaid, during their tenures. Fellows may, however, suspend their fellowships for the purpose of childbearing or infant nursing. Fellows may not receive any remuneration for their research activities carried out under the JSPS Fellowship Program for Research in Japan.
6. The host researchers and fellows shall follow the rules established by the host institution and JSPS prohibiting acts of research misconduct, e.g., fabricating or falsifying research results, and the misuse of research funds.
7. The fellow and host researcher must submit a research report using separately prescribed format before the deadline set by JSPS.
8. When presenting or publishing the content or results of research conducted under the fellowship, the JSPS fellowship should be acknowledged.
9. The host institution shall inform both the host researcher and the fellow of the rules that it and JSPS have established to prevent research misconduct (e.g. fabricating or falsifying research results) and misuse of research funds (e.g. personal use of funds or use of funds for other purposes) and of the penalties for violations. It shall take action to see that these rules are obeyed.
10. The host institution shall take primary responsibility for the fellow’s actions, so it must be proactive in preventing any human rights violations, research misconduct or misuse of research funds on the part of the fellow during his/her tenure. If any such problems should occur, the host institution will endeavor to resolve them if requested by JSPS, it is to report such problems.

Other Relevant Issues

Cooperation in carrying out site surveys and questionnaires

Site surveys are carried out on host research institutions for the purpose of verifying the program’s implementation system and the management, execution and auditing of program funding. Host researchers and Fellows are asked to cooperate in these surveys. Also, questionnaires are carried out for the purpose of improving JSPS programs. Host researchers, Fellows and host institutions will be asked to fill out these questionnaires.

Promotion of “Open Access” to the research papers supported by JSPS International Fellowships for Research in Japan

It is JSPS’s policy to provide open access to research papers. Beginning with research supported by Grants-in-Aid (KAKENHI) and other JSPS funding, research papers should, as a rule, be given open access. Note that open access is not mandatory if there are justifiable reasons for deferral such as copyright-related issues, or insufficient repository infrastructure at the research institution. The open access implementation policy of JSPS is described on the following webpage: https://www.jsps.go.jp/data/Open_access.pdf.

[Reference 1: What is “Open Access”]
Open access refers to the basic idea that research papers published in peer-reviewed journals should be made freely accessible by anyone.

[Reference 2: Different Routes to Open Access]
There are 3 main ways of open access implementation:

1. Opening access to articles published in conventional subscription fee type academic journals after a certain period of time (Embargo) (*1) (for example 6 months later) by opening the final manuscript to an Institutional Repository (*2) established by the research institution to which the author belongs, or by opening the final manuscript to the website, etc. established by the researchers (self-archiving) (*3).
   • *1: “Embargo” The predetermined period from the time an article is published in an academic journal to the time it is released so that it can be posted on an online open-access archiving system (repository).
   • *2: “Institutional Repository” An online archiving system created by a university or research institution for storage and dissemination of intellectual products. Institutional repositories play important roles in the reform of academic information distribution by enabling researchers to register their own articles. They also allow the transmission of research and education achievements of research institutions, PR for both the research institution and the researcher, guaranteeing the accountability of research and education activities toward society, and long-term conservation of intellectual products.
   • *3: “Self-archiving” Self-archiving refers to online posting of articles published in academic journals, dissertations, or data by those other than the publisher (the researcher or research institution) generally on their institutional repositories.
2. Opening access to articles by posting them on a Web established by the research community or public institution.
3. Opening access to articles immediately by paying the publication fee (APC: Article Processing Charge) by the author of the article.

Acknowledging research results

When announcing research results obtained under this fellowship, please indicate the support you’ve received through the program. Please provide an acknowledgment in research papers. Below is an example of how to write one.

Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan

1. International Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan)
2. JSPS International Research Fellow (Graduate School of XX, XX University)

Registration of the Researcher Information in Researchmap

“Researchmap” (formerly “Read&Research map” http://researchmap.jp/) is, as a general guide to Japanese researchers, Japan’s largest researcher information database. Registered information on research results can be openly disseminated over the Internet using researchmap. As research map is linked to e-Rad and many university faculty databases, it allows registered information to be accessed by other systems. Furthermore, the Japanese Government plans to further utilize researchmap, so please register your researcher information on the researchmap site.

Registration on JSPS-Net

JSPS Research Network (JSPS-Net) is a social networking service oriented to researchers who have experienced participating in JSPS programs. It supports the networking of researchers who carry out activities across national borders and the creation of researcher communities.

In addition to supporting researchers in the similar fields, JSPS-Net provides a platform for establishing communities and networks among researchers carrying out activities in different fields and among researchers conducting activities in the same region—communities and networks that can also include other researchers and research-support people who are interested in those activities. In such ways, JSPS-Net works to promote future international collaborations and to advance international joint research while assisting each registered researcher in carrying out their activities on the world stage.

JSPS-Net also assists young and overseas researchers in finding host researchers and institutions in Japan. The service it provides matches young researchers with prospective hosts.

We look forward to the participants in this fellowship program registering on JSPS-Net. We’re pretty sure you’ll find it both interesting and useful. https://www-jsps-net.jsps.go.jp/