Answers to the Questions at the FY2021 KAKENHI Writing Seminar (July 30th 2021)# Question

1

I have a question regarding the effort for the proposal. How much % should
we put on? (Under 50% or over 50%)

2 What is a lifespan of a research proposal?

3

In case of 2nd PhD, can we apply for Wakate scheme is up to 8 years of 2ndPh.D. degree?

4 Is age a true criteria? What about researchers who started “late” in life?
5 Is there an age limit for applicants?

Answer/CommentIt depends on your situation and the category you will aim for. You can contact
your university's administration office or the URA office to see if there are sometrends for similar position, etc.
[Comments from Dr. Packwood] There are no clear rules for allocating effort,
and it depends on how many on-going projects you have and your otheruniversity responsibilities. Anywhere between 30 - 60 % would be reasonable.
Many of the KAKENHI categories call in the range 3-5 year project period, butdiffer among categories. You might want to plan your project period
strategically with your research career. Please check the category which you wish
to apply for details.
https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-grants/grants01.html

No. The eligibility will count from the date you obtained your 1st PhD degree(period of maternity and childcare leave will be excluded from this count).
Age is not the condition for eligibility in KAKENHI. However, you must have avalid e-Rad ID registered at your University or Institution to apply. Pleasecontact your university administration office to check/apply your e-Rad status.

If I received my PhD relatively recently, within the last 8 years, but am in my 60s For Wakate guideline, there is no age limitation but you will need a PhD degree.
You must be within for 8 years limitation from obtaining your (1st) PhD degree,
may I apply for Wakate?
or must be prospected to be a PhD holder by April 1, 2022.
7 Is Wakate eligible for Master degree’s holder?
68Can you apply for KAKENHI while you are JSPS fellow researcher (only 2~3years Research position)

No, JSPS Research Fellow (DC) and JSPS International Research Fellow are noteligible for KAKENHI application. (see page 31 "Important Point 2" in the link
below) There is a dedicated research grant program (Grant-in-Aid for JSPS
Research Fellow[PD, DC, RPD] and JSPS International Fellow).
https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-grants/data/09/2022/r4_7_kobo_e.pdf

You can apply for both JSPS Research Fellow and KAKENHI at the same time,
but unless you are a JSPS Research Fellow (PD), you can only adopt one. To
If anybody applied for JSPS Postdoc and KAKENHI at same time? If he succeed make sure, please consult your university's administration office before
9both, so he can continue both or should reject one?
application.
[Comments from Dr. Packwood] I recommend selecting the JSPS International
Research Fellow over KAKENHI.
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Answers to the Questions at the FY2021 KAKENHI Writing Seminar (July 30th 2021)# Question

Answer/Comment

One example is the JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientist (DC1/DC2)
Program for those who have been enrolled for a PhD program in Japanese
Universities. Please check the following URL for details.

10 Is there any foundations that PhD student could apply?

https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-pd/index.html
11 May I know how much impact the Budget section will carry in the proposal?

The budget section influences the validity of your research. If the budget is notallocated properly or logically, there will be a risk of getting a low score.

If a foreigner wants to mention about his or her career in his or her country
12 after finishing the research in the proposal, does it affect negative in theselection?

You do not need to mention about your career plans after the grant period.
There may be a risk of negative influence when you are in the "border-line" andthe reviewer must find some factors to differentiate from other "border-line"
applications to give you a score.

What do you receive as feedback from the KAKENHI application process? Do
you get to know how you ranked?

You will receive your result via e-Rad system. If you are not selected, they will
provide you with a ranking (A/B/C) among the unselected applications, youraverage score on each of the 3 individual elements, and the weaknesses in you
application.
[Comments from Dr. Packwood] Several sub-categories will be also listed(such as understandability of the project, budget allocation, etc.) and asterisks
will appear beside categories where you were not evaluated well.

If a proposal is rejected, after revision, is it possible to use the same theme in
the next year?

Yes, you can use the same theme for application again. However, you should
revise the content to strengthen the weaknesses pointed out in the previous
application and/or to consider applying for a more suitable review section to beevaluated.

13

14

How about Kiban-B and larger funds? What is the main difference in
15
preparation?

For larger grants, you may need to show a larger research scope, your trackrecord (publications, received grants, etc.), and your project/team management
abilities to match the fund size.

You might have difficulty in convincing your ability/track record to the reviewers.
You might need to show other aspects to substitute your track record if you
Do you feel there is any bias against young researchers if they choose to apply want to convince the reviewers.
16
for a higher level grant without previous successful lower level grants?
[Comments from Dr. Packwood] For larger budgets, you will also be evaluatedon your ability to manage a large grant or a team. This may count against young
researchers.
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Answers to the Questions at the FY2021 KAKENHI Writing Seminar (July 30th 2021)# Question17

If you get a start-up KAKENHI, can you submit a similar proposal for the next
one? Like a continuation reusing most of the contents?

If I submit two KAKENHI (e.g. Wakate and Kiban B), both of them could be
18
selected?
19 What is the difference between WAKATE A and B?
20

Answer/CommentOn the topic of Japanese vs. English, I was told it can be helpful to use theJapanese form but write in English. Slightly less daunting for the reviewer.

21 So, it is OK to mix Japanese heads and English text?

Yes. You are advised to build up on your achievements from your start-up
KAKENHI to develop a new project. However, you must differentiate the newproject from the previous one. You can also use the achievements as apromising preliminary data for your new project.
Please check the table of restriction before application. For example, you cannot
apply for both Wakate and Kiban S/A/B/C at the same time.

https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-grants/data/09/2022/table_of_restriction_e.pdf

Wakate A/B category has been united to Wakate and is no longer available.
Thank you for your suggestion.
Yes you can. It might be nice to write the headers in Japanese to align with thekeywords (i.e. 学術的背景、本研究の目的、etc.) to guide the reviewer's eyes.

The evaluation system is the same for both Japanese and English. Efforts toIs the language of the application impact the score? Or, is there any difference
make your story easy-to-understand (format, guiding, language, etc.) to the22in the evaluation system if we submit in English or Japanese?
reviewer will be more important compared to the language form.
Yes you can. However, as the space is limited, you might eat up the valuable
space of your application if you have the same content in English and inJapanese. As have been pointed out in the talk, it might be wise to stick toIs it okay to write in dual-language (English and Japanese)?
(mostly) English unless you are totally confident with your Japanese.
Does abstract in Japanese increase the chance to pass through the review, or at
Instead of a full paragraph, showing the key words/phrases in Japanese might
least catch reviewer’s attention more easily?
be an better option for effective use of Japanese.
23
is it necessary to write in the Japanese and English as u showed in page-1?
[Comments from Dr. Packwood] Because the abstract is short and 'standBecause I’ve been hearing this from many colleagues, and the example
alone' (i.e., can be understood in isolation from the main text), it is an easypresented here just strengthen that “rumor/suggestion” again.
target for translation into Japanese. However, remember that your major goal isto communicate clearly; a clear and well-written English abstract will beat apoorly written Japanese abstract.
You may carry over to the next fiscal year. However, in some categories andCarryover of my remaining budget from this year to the next year in the case ofcases, it is not allowed. Please check thoroughly in the funding guidelines which
24
Wakate is it possible?
will be provided to you when you are selected.

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Answers to the Questions at the FY2021 KAKENHI Writing Seminar (July 30th 2021)# Question

25

Answer/CommentDoes the KAKENHI allow the recipients to change their research themes after
receiving it?

Basically, the recipients are expected to carry out the planned research and will
be reviewed each year for their progress through the report. However, theresearch plan can be changed according to the progress as long as it is "within
the scope of the research objectives".
Regarding a "major changes(for example, a change in the research objective or achange in the title of the research project)", the recipients need to submit arevised Research Proposal Document. If the recipients would like to make amajor changes, please consult in advance with your university's administration
office.
[Comments from Dr. Packwood] Your research direction may naturally change
during your project, however when writing your final report you will need toexplain how your results fall within the framework of your original proposal.

26 What should happen if anybody want to quit job where he received KAKENHI? If you are moving to a position (with the valid e-Rad) at certified
University/Institution, you can carryover your KAKENHI. Please consult yourI worried about what’s going on my KAKENHI, if I move my affiliation to
27 abroad during the mid-term of KAKENHI? If I register my position as Kyoryoku university's administration office before moving to see whether or not you cancarry your KAKENHI with you.
Kenkyuin, my KAKENHI could be continued?
28

What if a JSPS holder (Japanese type) applied for KAKENHI and in the sametime would travel abroad to US, can we transfer the budget??

29 Who are the Reviewers? Peers?

You cannot transfer your budget to overseas institutions. However, there arecases that you can suspend your KAKENHI and resume when you return. Pleaseconsult the administration office before planning to go abroad, to see if you canuse this scheme.
Peers in the applied review section will be selected to be your reviewers.
[Comments from Dr. Packwood] The reviewers will be mid- to late-career
researchers in your field.

Please use the past reviewers information to effectively choose your review
What if the proposal is borderline of different basic section ? In that case, how section. (Sorry, only available in Japanese)31
to choose?
https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-grantsinaid/14_kouho/meibo.html
30 Is there any information of reviewers within the sections?

Regarding the review section, how do we know if the "medium section" and32"broad section" is appropriate? Especially "broad section" is just A B C.

Please check the review section table. All medium-sized review sections andbasic sections have brief explanation to them.

https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-grants/data/09/2022/review_section_table_e.pdf

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Answers to the Questions at the FY2021 KAKENHI Writing Seminar (July 30th 2021)# Question

Answer/CommentIt's a very tough question. An advice which we can provide is to check the past
Selecting the right section for review is really important . Many get funded by reviewers of candidate sections. You might want to make your story outline to33 just changing the section for review . Though this is difficult for interdisciplinary clarify the key message of your plan and then strategically select the section
according to who will show most interest to your story.
studies. Does JSPS have options for review of interdisciplinary studies?
[Comments from Dr. Packwood] This is very tough. I also work on
interdisciplinary topics. In my case, I will select several candidate sections and try
How to choose section if your topic is very interdisciplinary like "90110
to determine which one is most likely to appreciate the proposal. At present,
34
biomedical-related"? It appears across two medium sections.
there is no 'interdisciplinary' sections, unfortunately.
The reviewer must be able to read and properly evaluate all of the assigned
applications (majority of which are in Japanese).
To follow up on the question of writing in both English and Japanese: If it’s
35 encouraged to use both, does that mean the reviewers are always going to be [Comments from Dr. Packwood] I think that almost all of the evaluators will benative Japanese speakers. I have never heard of foreign researchers acting asJapanese as a first language speakers, even for the “English” reviews?
KAKENHI evaluators.
36

How many scientific questions that we may add to for Wakate and KAKENHI
A,B,CYou would usually have a one key scientific question in an application. Several
subthemes may be set to answer the question.

Yes, if the findings are essential to your research proposal. You should select theWhen you have a big career arc planned, do you recommend bringing it up in essential findings and align them in a way so that the reviewer can follow thethe same way each time, and say “in our last work, we demonstrated bla bla
logic behind your proposed project. Figures, data of the past findings can bebla. Now, we are bla bla bla”? Would one even consider recycling some figures used as evidences/your preliminary data. However, please don't forget to37
connect your story to a large issue in your research field if you want resonatethat describe the large career arc?
your story with the reviewer.
I mean, what is the right balance between “this is new in this new proposal”[Comments from Dr. Packwood] I think that it is fine to recycle text andand “this is what I’m interested in and ALWAYS been interested in”?
figures, providing that they clearly communicate your current proposal.

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Answers to the Questions at the FY2021 KAKENHI Writing Seminar (July 30th 2021)# Question

Answer/Comment

Please check the "Awards Trends" page in JSPS KAKENHI website. You can find
I wanted to ask about the demographics of accepted grant applications. How the data on funding allocation by review section. Although the success rate is
many were successful in each field (e.g. basic vs clinical or epidemiologic) and around the same, there are sections which attracts more applications, average38
what studies get accepted best (e.g. quantitative vs qualitative or mixed
allocation amount, etc.
method)?
[Comments from Dr. Packwood] I also work on theoretical topics.
Computation and theory are completely fundable, however you need to be very
careful to frame your project within a bigger picture (one that includes potentialimpacts). While it is arguably more difficult to do this with theoretical projects, it
Do you have any data on acceptance for theory vs. experiment based
is not impossible either. You also need to be careful to explain why you need the39 proposals? Based on my experience it seems like it’s much less common to see
budget.
funding for work that’s purely computational/theoretical.
https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-grants/award_trends.html

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