For International Joint Research Programs from FY2018 and onward, the currently used list of Categories, Areas, Disciplines, and Research Fields will be replaced by a new Review Section Table containing a basic category section, document review section, and panel review section. The Review Section Table is used in common for recruiting and screening by each international program. The Table is different from that used in the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research program or in the Fostering Next Generation of Researcher Program.
Document review and panel review are carried out as the unit of each "Review set." Review Sets are made up based on Document Review Section Chart. They group together related screening fields in order to effectively carry out relative evaluations.

Document Review Sets group together multiple research fields related to each application. Under the Document Review Sets for International Joint Research Programs the document review for each application is carried out by six reviewers who are specialists in the group of research fields. Care is taken to create a balance among the reviewers' specializations in each Document Review Set and to avoid using reviewers from the applicant's affiliated institution.
As the Document Review Sets are reviewed and possibly revised every year, changes to them may be made in some JSPS programs. Therefore, applicants have to check the subject year's “International Joint Research Programs Document Review Set” when applying for the programs.