NatsJ Rules on Management of Conflicts of Interest(Objectives)
Article 1 The Nucleic Acids Therapeutics Society of Japan (hereinafter referred toas “NatsJ”) formulates the Rules on Management of Conflicts of Interest (COIs)
because it is required for social responsibility and ethics in its activities.
The objectives are to ensure that NatsJ appropriately manages its COI status topromote publication, dissemination, and enlightenment of research results while
maintaining neutrality and fairness and contribute to the creation of nucleic acidtherapeutics, thereby fulfilling its social responsibility.
(Subject persons)Article 2 The following persons (hereinafter referred to as the “Subject Persons”)
who may be involved in the status of “Conflict(s) of Interest” or “COIs” shall be
subject to these Rules. Each Subject Person shall declare their own COIs by thedesignated due date in accordance with the form separately specified.
1) NatsJ officers (i.e., president, vice president, directors, and secretary-general)
2) Person in charge of academic meetings (i.e., the chair of the annual meeting),chairperson of the selection committee for NatsJ prizes, and persons
responsible for sponsoring satellite symposia
3) Contributors (including all co-authors) to the journal issued by NatsJ4) Speakers and presenters at the annual meeting and satellite symposia of NatsJ(including all research collaborators)5) Spouse or first-degree relative of the Subject Persons specified in 1)–4)
6) Other persons deemed necessary by the NatsJ president or the chairperson ofthe COI Committee(Scope of disclosure)
Article 3 The scope of COIs to be disclosed shall be specified as follows:
1) NatsJ officers in Paragraph 1 of the preceding article and person in charge ofacademic meetings and other responsible persons specified in Paragraph 2 ofArticle 2 must disclose all COIs for the past two years.
2) Contributors (including all co-authors) to the journal issued by NatsJ inParagraph 3 of Article 2 and speakers and presenters at the annual meetingand satellite symposia of NatsJ in Paragraph 4 of Article 2 must disclose all
COIs related to their and their research collaborators’ contributions orpresentations for the past three years.

1(Method of disclosure)
Article 4 The timing and method of COI disclosure shall be specified as follows:1) NatsJ officers in Paragraph 1 of Article 2 and person in charge of academic
meetings and other responsible persons specified in Paragraph 2 of Article 2must submit a COI Self-Declaration when taking office and once a yearthereafter.
2) Contributors in Paragraph 3 of Article 2 must submit a COI self-declaration
with their papers at the time of contribution. All co-authors’ COI information
shall be printed at the end of the paper at the time of publication.
3) Speakers and presenters at the annual meeting and satellite symposia ofNatsJ in Paragraph 4 of Article 2 must disclose their and their researchcollaborators’ COI information in a specified form at the time of presentation.
(Matters to be disclosed)
Article 5 Matters to be disclosed shall be specified as follows:
1) The Subject Person is an officer, advisor, or employee of a company or forprofit organization and receives annual remuneration from a single company
or organization totaling 1,000,000 yen or more.
2) The Subject Person annually earns 1,000,000 yen or more in total fromstockholding (the sum of dividends and gains on sale) from a single company
or holds 5% or more of the total shares of a single company.
3) The Subject Person annually receives patent royalties from companies and/or
for-profit organizations totaling 1,000,000 yen or more.
4) The Subject Person receives annual remuneration totaling 500,000 yen or
more, including per-diem allowances and lecture fees, paid by a single
company or for-profit organization for the time and labor of researchers
attending meetings (lecture/chairperson), etc.
5) The Subject Person annually receives manuscript fees for publications,
including brochures, from a single company or for-profit organization totaling
500,000 yen or more.
6) The Subject Person annually receives research funds or scholarship donations(designated donations) from a single company or for-profit organization
totaling 1,000,000 yen or more.
7) The Subject Person annually receives advisory fees and honoraria related toa lawsuit, etc., paid by a single company or for-profit organization totaling
100,000 yen or more.
8) The Subject Person accepts an endowed course provided by companies orfor-profit organizations, or the Subject Person’s salary is paid by the endowedcourse or external funds from companies, etc.

29) The Subject Person accepts researchers, part-time instructors, visitingteachers, social graduate students, etc., from companies or for-profitorganizations.
10) The Subject Person receives other annual compensation, including travel andgifts, that is indirectly related to the Subject Person’s research activities froma single company or organization totaling 50,000 yen or more.
(Conflict of Interest Committee)
Article 6 The Conflict of Interest (COI) Committee shall consist of a few NatsJ
members and one or more external members, who are appointed by the president,
and the chairperson shall be elected by mutual election among the members.
2. The COI Committee shall confirm and investigate the submitted COI information.
The NatsJ secretariat members may cooperate with them under the direction of
the chairperson of the COI Committee.
3. The members of the COI Committee and NatsJ secretariat shall assume theobligation of maintaining confidentiality for the COI information of members thatthey have learned through the activities of the Committee.
4. The COI Committee, in cooperation with the Board of Councillors, shall manage
the COI status of officers and respond to violators in accordance with theseRules.
(Handling of Conflict of Interest Self-Declaration)
Article 7 The Conflict of Interest (COI) Self-Declaration submitted to NatsJ and theCOI information disclosed therein under these Rules shall be strictly maintained
and managed as personal information by the NatsJ secretariat with the president
as a management representative. NatsJ shall limit the secretariat members who
handle this information.
2. COI information shall be reviewed by the COI Committee to process thematters specified in these Rules.
3. A declarer’s COI information shall not be disclosed in principle; however, if theBoard of Councillors deems it necessary for NatsJ to fulfill its social and moral
accountability, it may be disclosed or released within or outside NatsJ to theextent necessary.
4. The disclosed COI information shall be maintained for two years after thetermination of the term of office of NatsJ officers specified in Paragraph 1 ofArticle 2 and person in charge of academic meetings and other responsible
persons defined in Paragraph 2 of Article 2 and shall be discarded thereafter
under the president’s supervision. However, if any doubt or social/legal problem
arises regarding the COI information during the retention period, the Board ofCouncillors may suspend the disposal of such COI information.

3

(Measures for violators of guidelines)
Article 8 The Board of Councillors may take the following measures if it determines
a material breach of compliance:
1) Prohibition of presentation at the NatsJ meetings and its satellite symposia
2) Prohibition of publication of articles by NatsJ publications
3) Prohibition of assumption of office as NatsJ officers specified in Paragraph 1 ofArticle 2 and person in charge of academic meetings and other responsible
persons defined in Paragraph 2 of Article 2 and prohibition of participation in
the Board of Councillors(Petition of objection)
Article 9 If a person subject to any measure prescribed above has objections to
the results, they may request the NatsJ secretariat for administrative review bysubmitting an application of motion for objection addressed to the president nolater than seven days from the date of receiving the notice.
2. Upon receiving such a request for administrative review, the president shallpromptly establish an objection judging committee (hereinafter, referred to asthe “Judging Committee”).
3. Unless there are special circumstances, the Judging Committee shall compile areport on the objection within 30 days from the date of the first meeting for thejudgment and submit it to the president.
4. No appeal can be made against the decision of the Judging Committee.
(Revision or abolition of regulations)
Article 10 These Rules may be amended by a resolution of the Board of Councillors.
Supplementary provisions
1. In addition to the provisions of these Rules, matters necessary for theimplementation of these Rules shall be separately stipulated.
2. These Rules shall come into effect as of April 1, 2020.

4