JSPS RONPAKU (DISSERTATION PhD) PROGRAMAPPLICATION GUIDELINES FOR FY 2024
June, 2023
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

1. Outline of JSPS RONPAKU Program

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) has been carrying out the RONPAKU(Dissertation PhD) Program since 1978. The aim of this program is to provide tutorial andfinancial support for promising researchers in the countries of Asia and Africa or other specified
countries among all those listed as Japanese ODA recipients who wish to obtain a PhD degreefrom a Japanese university through the submission of a dissertation without matriculating adoctoral course.
Grantees under the program (RONPAKU fellows) are required to conduct their dissertation
research under the joint supervision of an advisor in Japan and an advisor in their home country,
and are expected to obtain their PhD degree within a maximum period of three years. RONPAKU
fellows are required to visit a Japanese university to conduct research under the directsupervision of their advisor in Japan. The advisor may visit the RONPAKU fellow's home
university or research institution when deemed necessary to supervise the fellow’s research
together with their home advisor.
The applicant under this program is the advisor on the Japan side.
If there should be any differences between the original guidelines in Japanese and its translation
into English, the original Japanese text is valid.

2. Eligible Fields

All fields within the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences are included.

3. Applicable Countries

Candidates must be a researcher whose university/institution is located in one of the following
countries and areas among all those listed as Japanese ODA recipients:
ASIA (including the Middle East)
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Laos,
Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka,
Syria, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Vietnam, and Yemen
AFRICA
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African
Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Coted’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia,
Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Cabo
Verde, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South
Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
NIS countries
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz, Georgia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan
JSPS treats Palestine in this manner.

14. Eligibility of Advisor in JapanThe candidate’s advisor in Japan must be a full-time professor or associate professor who, as of
1 April 2024, is engaged in implementing a doctoral course at the Japanese university to which
the prospective RONPAKU fellow will submit their PhD thesis.
If the applicant (Japanese advisor) should commit an unethical act and be punished via measures
imposed by the host institution, they will be restricted from applying for JSPS RONPAKU programfor a period of five years starting from the day that the punishment is administered.

5. Eligibility of RONPAKU Fellow

The candidate must be a researcher(1) Who has not obtained a PhD degree from a university(2) Who wishes to obtain a PhD degree from a Japanese university through the submission ofa dissertation(3) Who has already achieved substantial research results and is likely through dissertation
research under the program to successfully obtain a PhD degree, and who is nominatedby a home advisor and the president of their affiliated university/research institution(4) Who has nationality in an applicable country (listed in Section 3)(5) Who is employed full time at a university or research institution in their home country or will
be appointed to such a position by 1 April 2024
(6) Who is 45 years of age or younger as of 1 April 2024
Regarding (1), if, during the period of JSPS support, the fellow obtains a PhD degree throughanother program, JSPS will take prescribed measures including discontinuation of the RONPAKU
allowance.
Regarding (6), if there has been a period of interruption in research activities due to maternity or
childcare leave, the candidate must be 47 years of age or younger. In such cases, please consult
with JSPS through the applicant’s (Japanese advisor) affiliated institution in advance.

6. Number of Fellowships to be Awarded
Approximately 9

7. Fellowship Tenure

Maximum of 3 years starting from 1 April 2024

8. JSPS Financial Support(1) Total funding provided to Japanese host university
Maximum of 3.6 million yen (Up to 1.2 million yen per fiscal year)(2) The following expenses can be covered by the above funding:Travel expenses (RONPAKU fellow’s visits to Japan, advisor’s visit to fellow’s country),
goods/materials, other dissertation related expenses(3) Payment procedure
JSPS will enter into a contract with the Japanese host institution commissioning it to carry out
the RONPAKU program’s operation.
This program is administered based on the annual budget, paid and executed each Japanese
fiscal year (from 1 April to 31 March).

9. Application Procedure(1) Application procedure
Applications for this program are received via JSPS’s electronic application system.
(Applications submitted individually by applicants or candidates or submitted by postal mail2

will not be accepted.) For details on using the system, please refer to the electronic
application system guide at https://www-shinsei.jsps.go.jp/ (in Japanese).
① Applicant's (Japanese advisor) procedure
After preparing the application, the Japanese advisor is to submit it via JSPS’s electronic
application system to their affiliated institution by the deadline that it sets.
The application forms prescribed by JSPS have the below-described characteristics.
Form No.

Form Name
・Page
Application Form 1
P1～3

Form1

P4～7
Form2

Application Form 2
8 pages
Letter of

From3

Recommendation
One page

Person who prepares the form

Prospective Advisor in Japan

How to prepareEntered in electronic
application system

Prospective Advisor in Japan
Combine into one file in

RONPAKU candidate

the order of Form 1 ~ 3and, uploaded to

RONPAKU candidate’s homeelectronic application

advisor and the head of theirsystemaffiliated university/research
institution

When applying for a fellowship, download these forms from JSPS’s website.
Adding new items or modifying/deleting existing items is not allowed when filling out the above
forms. Also, application with missing or added pages will be considered faulty during
screening.
Please ensure that there are no discrepancies between the contents of Form 1 and Form 2.
If the applicant (Japanese advisor) and/or the candidate (RONPAKU candidate) is or has
conducted international research activities related to the collaboration under this application,please describe them clearly.
If the counterpart country has put in place immigration restrictions, etc., based on the situation
at the time of application, to the degree possible estimate when the candidate will be able totravel to Japan and prepare the contents of the application in alignment with their planned
arrival.
Form download: https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-ronpaku/applicationforms.html
When submitting, combine these three forms into one file.
Form 1: Application (4 pages, pages 4-7)
Form 2: Candidate’s proposal (8 pages)
Form 3: Letter of Recommendation (one page)
Note: If the institute to which the Japanese advisor belongs is different from the university
where the candidate wishes to receive their degree, please obtain approval from the university
in advance.
② Applicant’s (Japanese advisor) affiliated institution’s procedure
Verify the contents of the applications submitted (sent) by applicants (Japanese advisors) via
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JSPS’s electronic application system and please perform the following procedure;(a) Confirm list of RONPAKU candidates(b) Download the list of RONPAKU candidates from the "Candidate List" screen and keep
the PDF file(c) Download the "Certificate of Operation" and keep the PDF file(2) Application Deadline

Friday, 5 p.m., 18 August 2023(JST)JSPS Electronic Application System will be available for use approximately two months before
the application deadline set by JSPS.
Notes:
a. The date stated above is the submission deadline for applicant’s affiliated institution to submit
applications to JSPS.
b. Candidates must send their application documents to their prospective advisor in Japan wellin advance of this deadline. (As some universities have their own deadline for advisors to
submit their application to the head of their institution, candidates should consult theirprospective advisor in Japan with regard to the timeframe.)

10. Selection and Notification of Results(1) Selection process
Screening is conducted by JSPS International Program Committee based on the following six
criteria.
Selection criteria(i) Based on their record of scientific results (e.g., publications in international journals,
record of awards), candidates must be seen as “mature” researchers.
(ii) The candidate’s research proposal should be suited to pursuing a PhD degree throughsubmission of a dissertation without matriculating a doctoral course. The feasibility shouldbe very high that the candidate will obtain a PhD degree within a maximum of 3 years.
(iii) The advisor in Japan must be suitable for supervising the candidate’s research; sufficientadvance communication must have been carried out between the advisor and thecandidate; the research supervision plan must be well-prepared and specific.
(iv) The host institution must have adequately prepared a system for receiving the candidate.
(v) Not only the score of the document review but also the examiners’ reasons and comments
are to be given adequate consideration.
(vi) Two judgements are made: (1) Selected and (2) Not selected
Note:
Research plans that require approval processing within the host institution
When the proposed research involves issues such as a requirement to obtain the researchsubject’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 andpolicies used by the counterpart country in conducting international joint research and by
the countries/regions in which the research will be implemented), describe the measuresand actions planned for handling such issues.
This applies to research activities that require approval by an internal or external informationcommittee or ethics jury, such as for research involving questionnaire surveys, interviews
and/or behavior surveys (including personal histories and images), surveys of domestic or4

overseas cultural properties, research involving personal information, the handling ofdonated specimens, invasive properties, human genome analysis, recombinant DNA, andexperimentation with animals. In such cases, describe concretely the status of yourprocessing and procedures.
(2) Notification of selection resultsa. Notification of the selection results will be made in writing through the head of the applying
institution to RONPAKU candidates by late December 2023. JSPS does not notify
RONPAKU candidates of selection results directly.
b. The names of the awardees, host researchers and institutions as well as their research
themes are subject to public disclosure on JSPS’s website.
c. Regarding unsuccessful candidates, their advisors in Japan will receive a notice of theirapproximate ranking among all the applicants.
Non-selected applicants will be ranked in the following three tiers. The number of applicantsand successful candidates will be shown for reference.
Non-selected A (upper tier)Non-selected B (middle tier)Non-selected C (lower tier)Note: Individual requests for selection results or notifications are not accepted.

11. Supervision of Research(1) Over the period of their tenure (up to three years), RONPAKU fellows will visit a Japanese
university to conduct research under the supervision of an advisor in Japan based on a visit
plan approved by JSPS. In principle, no maximum is set on the number of times or lengthof periods of their stays. However, the funding may not be used for travel to third countries
that are not included in the research proposal.
(2) When deemed necessary, the advisor in Japan may visit the RONPAKU fellow's home
university or research institution to supervise their research based on a visit plan approvedby JSPS. In principle, no maximum is set on the number of times or length of periods oftheir stays. However, the funding may not be used for travel to third countries that are notincluded in the research proposal.
(3) Travel plans should be made so that the combined days of visits by the fellow and theiradvisor is at least 30 days during a fiscal year.
(4) At the end of each fiscal year, JSPS evaluates each fellow's research progress based on areport submitted by their advisor in Japan, and notifies the fellow of its decision on whether
to continue the fellowship in the following fiscal year.
(5) When considered necessary to advance the fellow’s research, the advisor in Japan may,with JSPS’s approval, appoint co-advisor(s) in Japan, who is to be a full-time researcher ata university or a research institution. The co-advisor(s) is to cooperate in supervising thefellow’s dissertation research and may, when deemed necessary, visit the fellow’s homeinstitution in place of the advisor in Japan.

12. Obligations of the RONPAKU Fellow

RONPAKU fellows should bear the following two points in mind. After selection, they will be
expected to observe the regulations and procedures stipulated in the “PROCEDURES ANDPROVISIONS FOR RONPAKU FELLOWS UNDER THE JSPS RONPAKU (DISSERTATION
PhD) PROGRAM.” If the RONPAKU fellow should fail to do so, the fellowship may be
withdrawn and already-paid allowances reclaimed.

(1)

During their tenures, RONPAKU 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
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(2)or other forms of abuse, nor shall they violate pertinent laws or regulations. If suchinfractions should occur or false entries (including an unauthorized diversion of signature)
are found in application documents, measures such as the termination of application
screening, cancellation of selection decisions, requirement to refund part or all of alreadyallocated funding may be taken.
RONPAKU fellows are not to misuse competitive or other research funds or to commit any
act of misconduct with regard to their research and educational activities, including
fabrication, falsification or plagiarism. With regard to these activities, they are to follow therules prescribed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology(MEXT), JSPS, their advisor’s affiliated institution in Japan, and the university scheduled toaward their dissertation PhD degree.

13. Role of Advisor in Japan (including Co-Advisors in Japan) and Host University

The advisor in Japan and the host university should bear the following six points in mind.
Once the RONPAKU fellowship is awarded, they will be expected to observe the regulations
and procedures stipulated in the “PROCEDURES AND PROVISIONS FOR RONPAKUFELLOWS UNDER THE JSPS RONPAKU (DISSERTATION PhD) PROGRAM.” If either theadvisor or university should fail to do so, the fellowship may be withdrawn and already-paid
allowances reclaimed.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

The host researcher (advisor in Japan) is to maintain adequate contact with the RONPAKU
candidate and the advisor in their home country in order to consider whether the RONPAKU
candidate will be able to obtain a PhD within the approved fellowship tenure. The host is toconfirm the requirements for obtaining a dissertation doctoral degree from the university
scheduled to award the degree.
The host researcher will, in cooperation with the administration office of the host institution
and the university scheduled to award the PhD degree, provide a suitable environment for
the fellow to work toward obtaining their PhD. The host will also assist the fellow, whenneeded, with immigration processing (including applying for a “certificate of eligibility”),
securing domicile, and other matters related to their stay in Japan.
During the fellow’s tenure, the advisor in Japan shall not, either in or outside the hostinstitution, infringe in any way on the fellow’s human rights, including racial or gender
discrimination or other forms of abuse. If the applicant (advisor in Japan) should commit anunethical act and be punished via measures imposed by the host institution, they will be
restricted from applying for a JSPS International Fellowship including RONPAKU Programfor a period of five years starting from the day that the punishment is administered.
To ensure that no misuse of research funds or misconduct in research/education occurs,
the advisor in Japan shall conduct RONPAKU-related research in conformance with therules prescribed by MEXT, JSPS, their affiliated institution, and the university scheduled toaward the dissertation PhD degree.
To ensure that no misuse of research funds or misconduct in research/education iscommitted by the RONPAKU advisor or fellow, the advisor’s affiliated institution and theuniversity scheduled to award the PhD degree shall promulgate and strictly enforce therules (including penalties for misuse and misconduct) prescribed by MEXT, JSPS, and theirown institutions.
The advisor in Japan, their affiliated institution and the university scheduled to award the
PhD degree are to take ultimate responsibility for the RONPAKU fellow. As such, they are
to take proactive measures to prevent misuse and misconduct and to resolve any problems
that may arise. If requested by JSPS, it is to report such problems.

614. Response to Acts of Research Misconduct and Funding Misuse”Measures Against Misconduct in Research Activities and Misuse (etc.) of Research Funds”(Rule #19, Adopted by the JSPS on 6 December 2006) stipulate actions to be taken by JSPSin response to research misconduct and funding misuse and measures to be taken byorganizations within research institutions in executing their responsibility to manage andensure the integrity of research funds. When established that specific acts of research
misconduct and/or misuse of research funds have been committed, actions stipulated in thisRule will be taken.

Please refer to the following website for “Rules for Responding to Misconduct and Misuse ofFunds in Research Activities.”
https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-inv/guideline/data/regulation_e.pdf

15. Establishing a System for Implementing the “Guidelines for Responding to
Research Misconduct”

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
MEXT on 26 August 2014).” If the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology (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 thejurisdiction of MEXT may cut or reduce the research institution’s indirect budget allocation ofcompetitive research funding.
Please refer to the “Guidelines for Responding to Misconduct in Research” in the following
website:https://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/houdou/26/08/1351568.htm (provided in Japanese).

16. Research Ethics Education Coursework Requirement

To preclude misconduct in their research activities, researchers participating in this program
should after being selected either read, take the e-Learning Course on Research Ethics, or
attend a research ethics course conducted by institutions based on the “Guidelines for
Responding to Misconduct in Research” (Adopted by the MEXT on 26 August 2014) by theseparately designated date.
・For the Sound Development of Science—The Attitude of a Conscientious Scientist
by Editing Committee of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-kousei/ethics.html
・e-Learning Course on Research Ethics [eL CoRE]
https://elcore.jsps.go.jp/top.aspx
・APRIN e-learning program (eAPRIN)

After being selected, the Japanese advisor is to have all of the members of their related
research team take one of the above courses in research ethics education at their affiliatedinstitution, and, then, submit a document to JSPS confirming that they have taken the course.

17. Handling of Personal Information

Personal information contained in application materials will be strictly controlled in accordancewith the “Act on the Protection of Personal Information” and JSPS’s own regulations forprotecting personal information. JSPS uses such information exclusively for the purpose of
implementing its programs. (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.)
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If selected for a RONPAKU fellowship, the fellow should note that their name, research theme,
host institution, name and title of host researcher, the university scheduled to award thedissertation PhD degree, abstract of dissertation, and research reports will be given publicaccess including via JSPS’s website/other JSPS publications and circulated to related
institutions. Fellows are/may be asked to participate in surveys aimed at improving thefellowship program.
For researchers located within the European Economic Area which embodies the EU, and in
the UK, their agreement is to be obtained regarding the above-stated “handing of personal
information” in line with the “General Data Protection Regulation.”

18. 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 ofopen science. Concurrently, the new risks as a consequence of the globalization andopenness 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 vitalfor 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 anduniversities/institutions to proactively ensure the research integrity in each research activity.

19. The Security Export 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 increasein 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 WMDdevelopers, 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, inorder to export (provide) goods and technologies regulated by the FEFTA, it is necessary toobtain 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 Fellow’s research funding or his/her scheduled allocation of research funding.
(*1) 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, such8

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 technicalinformation 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.
Researchers should be aware that there may be cases in which technologies subject toregulation under the FEFTA are involved when mentoring foreign students and/or doing joint
research activities with oversea groups. Please also bear in mind that the provision oftechnologies acquired in the contracted program or the provision of technologies. already inpossession with the use of the contracted program may also be subject to restrictions.
(*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 fallunder the clauses in 1 (3)Sa ①thru ③ of the “Notification for Transactions or Acts ofTransferring 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 whenexporting 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 toexport restrictions under the FEFTA as a result of this contracted program and, if there is anintent to export, they will be asked whether or not there is a management system in place tocontrol 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)
http://www.meti.go.jp/policy/anpo/
・Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: “Handbook on Security Export Control”
https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/anpo/seminer/shiryo/handbook.pdf
・Center for Information on Security Export Controls
https://www.cistec.or.jp/index.html
・“Guidance for the Control of Sensitive Technologies for Security Export for Academic andResearch Institutions 3rd Edition”
9https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/anpo/law_document/tutatu/t07sonota/t07sonota_jishukanri03.
pdf
・ 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
https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/anpo/law_document/tutatu/t10kaisei/ekimu__tutatu.pdf

20. 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 arequest 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 thisResolution 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

21. Other Points to Bear in Mind(1)

Candidates are to ascertain in advance the requirements for PhD certification in their own
country before submitting an application.
(2) In the following cases, JSPS may cancel a RONPAKU fellowship:
1. When a fellow is found to have submitted false information (including fabrication,
plagiarism and other falsification) in his/her application
2. When it is determined that it would be difficult for a fellow to obtain their PhD degree within
the approved fellowship tenure
3. When a fellow withdraws from his/her position as a full-time researcher at the homeinstitution
4. When a fellow obtains a PhD degree other than through the RONPAKU program
5. When a fellow violates Japanese law or is so indicted
6. When a fellow does not follow JSPS’s instructions or causes harm to JSPS.
7. When JSPS decides that it must cancel a fellow’s registration or withdraw thier support
for other substantive reasons.
(3) 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 writeone.
(example) This work was supported by JSPS ROPAKU (Dissertation Ph.D.) Program.
(4) Registration of the researcher information in researchmap“researchmap” (https://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. As researchmap is linked to e-Rad and many
university faculty databases, it allows registered information to be accessed by other systems.
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Using researchmap precludes the need for researchers to re-register the same research
information in multiple application forms and databases.
As information registered in researchmap can be effectively used for such purposes asconducting studies related to the formulation of government’s S&T policy and compiling
statistics, participants in the RONPAKU program are encouraged to register in researchmap.
(5) Promotion of “open access” to the research papers supported by JSPS International
Fellowships for Research in Japan
JSPS endorses general policy of promotion of open access of publications of research
results funded by public grants including KAKENHI. Note that open access is not mandatory
if there are justifiable reasons for deferral such as copyright-related issues, or insufficientrepository infrastructure at the research institution.
The open access implementation policy of JSPS is given on the following webpage:
URL: https://www.jsps.go.jp/data/Open_access.pdf
1. Reference 1: What is “open access”?
Open access refers to the basic idea that research papers published in peer-reviewed
journals being made freely accessible to anyone.
2. Reference 2: Different routes to open access
There are 3 main ways of open access implementation (1) to 3) below)
1) Giving open access to articles published in conventional subscription fee typeacademic 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 manuscriptto the website etc. established by the researcher (self-archiving) (*3).
2) Giving articles open access by posting them on a website established by a researchcommunity or public institution.
3) Giving articles open access immediately by the author paying their publication fee(APC: Article Processing Charge).
*1 “Embargo”
The predetermined period from the time an article is published in an academic journal to
the time of its release so that it can be posted on an online open-access archiving system(repository).
*2 Institutional Repository
An online archiving system created by university or research institution for storage anddissemination of the intellectual products. Institutional repositories play important roles in
the reform of academic information distribution by enabling researchers to register theirown articles, transmitting the research and education achievements of a research
institution, PR both the research institution and researcher, guaranteeing societal
accountability of research and education activities, and conserving intellectual products
over a long term.
*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 in their institutional repositories.

22. Registration on JSPS-Net

The JSPS Researchers Network (JSPS-Net) is a social networking service oriented to11researchers who have participated in JSPS programs. It networks researchers who arecarrying out activities across national borders and supports the creation of researcher
communities.
JSPS-Net assists each registered researcher in carrying out their activities on a world stage.
By linking up researchers working in the same field and cross different fields, researchers
working in the same or in different regions, and connecting them with people who areinterested in their research or desirous to support it, JSPS-Net establishes communities andby promoting networking spawns future international exchange while advancing international
joint research.
JSPS-Net also provides a service for matching Japanese researchers who wish to host ayoung researchers or overseas researcher with such researchers looking for a host.
Participants in the RONPAKU Program are invited to register on JSPS-Net.
https://www-jsps-net.jsps.go.jp/

23. Contact
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
Overseas Fellowship Division
5-3-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083
JAPAN
Telephone: +81 (0)3 3263 2368
Email: ronpaku＊jsps.go.jp (replace＊with @)12