Tentative Translation

The JSPS Policy for Implementing Open Access to Research Papers
March 9, 2017
Adjudication by the President
1. Purpose
The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (hereinafter referred to as "JSPS") has made it apolicy that the results of scientific research conducted under the program “Grants-in-Aid for ScientificResearch” be published in the form of scientific papers and other forms of publication. In recent years,
the development of the Internet has brought about major changes in scientific publication schemes andhas accelerated a movement toward greater openness of information in science and academia.
To address the transition to open access publishing, the report "Promoting Open Science in Japan-Opening up a new era for the advancement of science" (March 30, 2015, Expert Panel on Open Science,Based on Global Perspectives, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan) and the deliberation summary"Promoting Open Access to Academic Information" (February 26, 2016, Council for Science andTechnology, MEXT) were issued. Based on these developments, JSPS has established the following
implementation policy for open access publication of research papers supported by research funds,
including Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research.
2. Definition
Under the Policy, the “implementation of open access publishing of scientific papers” means thatanyone can access and obtain papers published in media, including peer-reviewed scientific journals,
from the Internet free of charge, without time or place restrictions.
3. Initiatives
The results of scientific research that generate new knowledge should be shared as common
intellectual property that serves as the basis for the sustainable development of human society. It is
anticipated that the promotion of the sharing and using research outcomes through open access willcontribute to generating novel transdisciplinary knowledge, enhancing research efficiency, andfacilitating the comprehension and broader dissemination of research outcomes.
In view of the significance of these aspects, JSPS will work in cooperation with MEXT, the National
Institute of Informatics, and other pertinent institutions to ensure that papers resulting from JSPSfunded research activities are, in principle, given open access.
4. Promotion Scheme
JSPS will explicitly state its policy for promoting open access in its guidelines for proposal calls and1

in other relevant documents. Consequently, papers resulting from JSPS-funded research activities will,in principle, be given open access.
On such occasions, JSPS will also provide examples of the following open access practices.
①How a paper published as an article in a conventional subscription-fee-type academic journal after
a certain period (Embargo)(*1) (for example after 6 months later) is made open access 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 theresearchers themselves (self-archiving)(*3).
②How a paper is made open access by posting it on a website established by the research community
or public institution.
③How a paper is immediately made open access by the author paying the article processing charge(APC).
*1 Embargo: The predetermined period from the time of a paper’s publication in an academic journal to the timeof its release for posting on an online open access archiving system (repository).

*2 Institutional repository: An online archiving system created by a university or research institution for storingand disseminating intellectual products. Institutional repositories play important roles in enhancing academic
information distribution by enabling researchers to register their own papers/articles, while also in disseminating
the research and education achievements of research institutions, providing PR for both research institutions andresearchers, guaranteeing societal accountability of research and education activities, and achieving long-term
conservation of intellectual products.

*3 Self-archiving: Papers/articles published in academic journals/dissertations and research data are made open
access by researchers/research institutions registering them on websites other than those of the publisher; generally
on their own institutional repositories.

5. Scope and Coverage
The Policy applies to research outputs from projects that are publicly solicited after the effective
date* of the Policy. However, this does not apply in cases where copyright or other legal issues makeopen access impractical, or where the repository of the researcher's institution is not equipped tosupport open access.

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*The Policy shall be effective as of March 9, 2017.

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