CONTACT
Overseas Fellowship Division,
International Program Department
Japan Society for the
Promotion of Science (JSPS)
5-3-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 102-0083, JAPAN
Email graduate-r@jsps.go.jp
1. Program Outline
JSPS has launched the Postdoctoral Fellowships for Foreign Researchers (Strategic Program) to strategically invite excellent researchers with high future potential from selected countries, starting with the major advanced nations, to Japan for the purpose of building collaborative research relationships with Japanese colleagues. In FY 2013, this JSPS program will be implemented in cooperation with the National Science Foundation in the United States by inviting young researchers selected under NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) Program to Japan.
2. Target Fields
Fields of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences
3. Fellow Eligibility
(1) Master’s and doctoral students selected under the GRF Program and nominated to JSPS by NSF. (Postdoctoral researchers are not covered under this program.)
(2) Persons who have been accepted in advance by a Japanese host researcher.
* Overseas researchers who have already been selected under JSPS’s Postdoctoral Fellowships for Foreign Researchers (i.e., Standard, Short-term for North American and European Researchers) are not eligible for this program.
* JSPS does not introduce host researchers to candidates.
4. Host Researcher/Institution Eligibility
Host researcher must be employed full-time or classified as being employed full-time (excluding jokyo, assistant professor, and joshu, research assistant) at a research institution specified in Article 2 of the Rules for Handling Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (MEXT Notification) and must want to host an overseas researcher.
Eligible host institutions include the following:
(1) Universities and inter-university research institutes
(2) Organizations under the jurisdiction of the Ministry and Education and Science (MEXT) that carry out scientific research
(3) Other organizations designated by the Minister of Education and Science
* Full-time employment classification is determined by the regulations of the host institution.
5. Number of Scheduled Selections
Up to about 50
6. Period of Tenure and Arrival in Japan
(1) Tenure under the program is from 3 to 12 months.
(2) Fellows are to arrive in Japan (start their research) during the period from 15 June through 31 March of the following year.
7. Support from JSPS
(1) Monthly allowance: \200,000
(2) Settling-in allowance: \100,000
(3) Domestic travel allowance: \58,500
(4) Overseas travel insurance
* As for the conditions on NSF side, please contact NSF.
8. Obligation of the Fellow and Host Researcher
The host researchers, fellows and host institution should bear the following nine 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 Postdoctoral Fellowship (Strategic Program). If either the fellow or host should fail to do so, the fellowship may be withdrawn, allowances (including airfares) stopped, and already-paid allowances 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. 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 fellowship tenures, the host is advised not to commit such acts of discrimination or abuse with regard to his/her fellow, and should be particularly careful that what s/he says or does cannot be interpreted as committing such acts. |
| (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. Fellows may, however, suspend their fellowships for the purpose of childbearing or infant nursing. Fellow may not engage in other work, neither paid nor unpaid, during their tenures. |
| (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. |
| (7) | The fellow and host researcher must submit a research report using separately prescribed format. |
| (8) | 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 and misuse of research funds and of the penalties for violations. |
| (9) | The host shall take first responsibility for the fellow's actions, so must be proactive in preventing any discrimination, misconduct or misuse on the part of the fellow during his/her tenure. If any such problems should occur, the host will endeavor to resolve them. |
| * Regarding paragraph (6) above, please see the separate document "About the Proper Use of Competitive and Other Funds" (Japanese only). |
9. Handling of Personal Information
With regard to personal information contained in application materials, it shall be strictly controlled in accordance with low to protect personal information held by administrative institutions and JSPS’s rule of protect personal information.
Using personal information in implementing JSPS programs, including the provision of such information to private companies commissioned to conduct date processing management, JSPS shall observe these laws and regulations.
If selected for a fellowship, fellows should note that their name, title, nationality, affiliated research institution, research themes, Japanese host institution, name/title of their host researcher, and research reports may be given public access. Fellow will also be asked to participate in surveys aimed at improving the fellowship program.
10. Notes
| (1) | With regard to Paragraph 8 (3) above, should a host researcher be found guilty by the host institution of violating a candidate’s or fellow’s human rights, s/he shall be disqualified for a period of five years from hosting JSPS fellows under the program, the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Foreign Researchers, and the RONPAKU (Dissertation PhD) Program. |
| (2) |
Should JSPS determine that any information in an application to be falsified, plagiarized or otherwise flowed, the applications will be rejected or, if already awarded, the fellowship withdrawn. |
| (3) | When preparing their applications, prospective Japanese advisors who are currently involved in a JSPS international exchange activities or project or who have been within the past 5 years are to describe the results or anticipated results of that activity and any connection it has with making this nomination under the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (Short-term) for North American and European Researchers. |
| (4) | JSPS does not support any research project related to military affairs. |
