Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers (LEADER) | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

【Application】
Research Fellowship Division Japan Society for the Promotion of Science（JSPS）
Kojimachi Business Center
Building,
5-3-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, 102-0083, JAPAN
MAIL takuken@jsps.go.jp

【Project in general】
Human Resources Policy Promotion Office, Human Resources Policy Division, Science and Technology Policy Bureau, MEXT
3-2-2 Kasumigaseki,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo,
100-8959, JAPAN
MAIL takuetsu@mext.go.jp

The Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers (LEADER) works to show new career paths to young researchers who can succeed in the national-wide research institutions run by industry, academia and government, while creating a stable and independent position for young researchers that is conducive to tackling new areas of research.

Outline

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) invites posts from the research institutions that wish to participate in this project, and then publicizes those posts after satisfying the requirements through the website of MEXT or JSPS. At the same time, MEXT publicizes invitation for the EYR. Next, JSPS conducts a review of the young research applicants based on the purpose of this project, and MEXT selects the EYR candidates.
On the other hand, each research institution, presenting the published posts, negotiates individually with the EYR candidates, and as a result, when the EYR candideate obtains a stable and independent research environment in a research institution, MEXT decides the candidates as excellent young researchers. Therefore, we will provide expenses for a certain period of time as may be needed.

Process of 2019 Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researchers (LEADER)

For details, please refer to Application Guidelines.

Requirements

Requirements of 2019

Applicants (Young researchers)

Applicants (researchers) among EYRs, who are going to be active in various research institutions of industry-academia-government, shall satisfy the following requirements. They must meet all these requirements at the time of application.
For details, please refer to Application Guidelines.

Attained academic degree, etc.	At the time of application, those who satisfied all requirements in 1) through 3) below: 1)Those who have received a doctor's degree, or those who have acquired all the predetermined credit in graduate school doctoral programs for the standard term of study or more and completed the doctoral program without having a doctoral degree(referred to as "those who completed the doctoral program without receiving a doctoral degree") 2)As of April 1, 2020, those who are below 40 years (those below 43 years are accepted in the medical field, which requires clinical training) For those who have stopped research for a total of 3 months or more due to childbirth or childcare (regardless of sex), we will consider the age requirement by about 1 to 2 years according to individual circumstances. * In this case, enter the reason why research was suspended, due to childbirth or child-care, in the application form and submit it with an additional document certifying that reason.　For details, please check Application Guidelines. 3)Those who have research achievements (a doctoral dissertation can be added for a person who received a Ph. D.) in the past five years (since 2014).
Nationality	At the time of application, those who fall under any of the following: 1)Those who have Japanese nationality or foreigners who have obtained permission for permanent residence 2)Those who have nationality of countries which have diplomatic relations with Japan (Taiwanese or Palestinian researchers are treated in accordance with this.)

Attained academic degree, etc.

At the time of application, those who satisfied all requirements in 1) through 3) below:

1)Those who have received a doctor's degree, or those who have acquired all the
predetermined credit in graduate school doctoral programs for the standard term of study or more and completed the doctoral program without having a doctoral degree(referred to as "those who completed the doctoral program without receiving a doctoral degree")
2)As of April 1, 2020, those who are below 40 years (those below 43 years are accepted in the medical field, which requires clinical training)
For those who have stopped research for a total of 3 months or more due to childbirth or childcare (regardless of sex), we will consider the age requirement by about 1 to 2 years according to individual circumstances.
* In this case, enter the reason why research was suspended, due to childbirth or child-care, in the application form and submit it with an additional document certifying that reason.　For details, please check Application Guidelines.
3)Those who have research achievements (a doctoral dissertation can be added for a person who received a Ph. D.) in the past five years (since 2014).

Nationality

At the time of application, those who fall under any of the following:

1)Those who have Japanese nationality or foreigners who have obtained permission for permanent residence
2)Those who have nationality of countries which have diplomatic relations with Japan (Taiwanese or Palestinian researchers are treated in accordance with this.)