Purpose

The Funding Program for Next Generation World-Leading Researchers(NEXT Program) is implemented under the Leading-edge Research Promotion Fund established within the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) using the Japanese government's FY 2009 supplemental budget. This program provides a research-support system for researchers expected to have the potential to be world leaders in their respective fields of science and technology. The Japanese government's "New Growth Strategy (Basic Policies) Toward a Radiant Japan" (Cabinet decision on December 30, 2009) calls for advancing a wide spectrum of research from basic research that generates new sciences and technologies to R&D with near-future applications. By supporting the kind of cutting-edge research mandated by the New Growth Strategy, the program seeks to spur mid- to long-term S&T advancement, while contributing to the continued growth of Japan as a nation and the solution of policy-focused and societal issues. Based on guidelines prescribed by the Council for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP) and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, JSPS is in charge of recruiting and screening applications, with CSTP making the final selections.

Features

1. To achieve the objectives of this program, it will be essential to hone the latent talents and abilities of young researchers, female researchers and researchers actively engaged in regional institutions who can be expected to play leading roles in future research advancement. To that end, this program

(1)	targets young and female researchers who possess the latent ability to carry out research in an independent, self-responsible manner, and
(2)	in selecting researchers and research themes, takes into consideration the researchers' gender, and the regional nature of the researchers and the research content.

2. So as to sustain Japan's growth by exploiting its national strengthens and capacities,

(1)	research themes are advanced in fields of "green innovation" and "life innovation," and
(2)	projects are carried out that target challenging research themes across the spectrum of the natural sciences, humanities and social sciences and that advance modalities of research ranging from basic research that generates new sciences and technologies to R&D with near-future applications.

3. The program allows flexible, multi-year use of grants during the research period, enabling researchers to carry over their funding into the following fiscal years.

Framework

Eligibility

1. Researchers

(1)	Affiliated research institutions
	1)	Researchers who belong to a research institution in Japan at the time they apply, or
	2)	Researchers residing overseas when they apply who will belong to a research institution in Japan by the time that their grant-disbursement request in made.
(2)	Age and gender
	1)	Male applicants were to be 45 years of age or younger on April 1, 2010. However, this age requirement was relaxed for persons who completed a doctoral course in medicine, veterinary science or pharmacology, or who completed clinical training, or who had suspended their research to take "childcare leave."
	2)	There is no age limit placed on female applicants.
	3)	Others
	By the time the grant disbursement was requested, the selected researchers must have been carrying out independent, self-responsible research at their affiliated research institutions.

2. Research Themes

(1)	Wide-ranging themes that contribute to advancing research in fields of green innovation and life innovation
(2)	Wide-ranging themes from basic research that generates new sciences and technologies to R&D on near-future applications
(3)	Challenging themes aimed at contributing to the solution of global as well as domestic issues, including those that incorporate a humanities or social science approach.

3. Research Period
Up to 4 years (during period from FY 2010 through FY 2014)

4. Funding
Based on the research period, ¥50 million x number of fiscal years, up to a total of ¥200 million (including 30% to cover indirect costs)

5. Number of grants: 329

Budget

¥50 billion (Leading-edge Research Promotion Fund)