Organization

Founding Year

Founded in 1932 with an endowment of Emperor Showa, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), or Gakushin for short, is Japan’s sole independent funding agency, established by way of a national law for the purpose of contributing to the advancement of science in all fields of the natural and social sciences and the humanities.
JSPS is an independent administrative institution under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

Organization

Number of Executives and Employees
and Male/Female Ratio

Excluding fixed-term employees, the number of staff members is 188.
In recent years, there have been about 10 newly hired staff members each year, and the percentage of permanent employee (excluding seconded employees) in the total workforce has been increasing.

As of April 1, 2024, including fixed-term employees

Organization

Average Age of Staff Members

JSPS is an age-diverse workplace. Supervisors are approachable to their subordinates, being receptive to their opinions and ideas.

As of April 1, 2024

Organization

Number of Staff Members with
Postgraduate Degrees

There are some staff members who have experience of Research Fellowships for Young Researchers (Doctoral Course Students; DC) of the JSPS programs.
Staff members well-versed in the front lines of research also engage actively at JSPS.

As of April 1, 2024

Organization

Staff Composition

JSPS is composed of a diverse group of staff members, including those seconded from universities and other institutions across Japan and from the MEXT.

As of April 1, 2024

Organization

Annual Budget

In recent years, the operating subsidy from the national government has remained at approximately 27 billion yen each year. The overall scale of JSPS projects, including the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research and other programs, is approximately 300 billion yen for FY2024.
※The figures are rounded to the nearest unit. Consequently, the gross total and the sum of the breakdown do not necessarily coincide.

Supporting Research Funding

The Grants-in-Aid for Scientific
Research (KAKENHI)

For the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) program, more than 8,000 researchers peer-review nearly 90,000 applications each year.

Supporting Research Funding

The Ratio of JSPS-supported
Researchers to the Japanese Nobel
Prize Winners in the Natural Sciences

Of the 25 Japanese Nobel Prize winners in the natural sciences (physiology or medicine, physics, and chemistry), 21 winners are the researchers who have ever received support from the JSPS, including Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI).
Through the various continuous support from JSPS, including KAKENHI, many researchers have been honored with Nobel Prizes.

Encouraging International Exchange

JSPS Overseas Offices

Main functions
・Collaborating with overseas science-promotion institutions, including those with which JSPS has signed cooperation agreements
・Organizing symposiums, colloquiums, and other events in collaboration with overseas scientific institutions
・Cooperating with Japanese universities and supporting their overseas activities
・Building and supporting networks connecting JSPS program alumni, including past fellowship recipients
・Disseminating scientific information from Japan and collecting information on overseas scientific trends, university reforms, and other science-related matters

Encouraging International Exchange

Number of Researchers Sent Abroad

JSPS programs have sent 2,911 researchers to 81 countries /regions around the world.
(FY2022 results)

Encouraging International Exchange

Number of Researchers Invited from Abroad

JSPS programs have invited 2,802 researchers from 93 countries/regions around the world.
(FY2022 results)

Encouraging International Exchange

Number of International Joint Research Programs

JSPS programs have supported 8,453 international joint research programs with 141 countries /regions around the world. (FY2022 results)
(Note: The total does not equal the sum of the programs in the circles, because there are some joint research programs conducted with multiple countries.)

Encouraging International Exchange

Researcher Community
(Alumni Community)

There are 20 alumni communities around the world composed of researchers and related individuals who have been supported by JSPS programs. The alumni communities aim to form, maintain, and strengthen networks of researchers in Japan and other parts of the world.

Fostering Researchers

Number of Research Fellowships for
Young Scientists

Doctoral students and outstanding young researchers with doctoral degrees are offered “Research Fellowships”, which allow them to devote themselves to their research at research institutions.

As of FY2024

Fostering Researchers

Proportion of the JSPS
Research Fellows for Full-time Research
Career Positions

Over 80% of the JSPS Research Fellowships recipients are in full-time research positions within 10 years after finishing their fellowships.

As of April 1, 2023

Enhancing University Education and Research

Research Centers established by World Premier
International Research Center Initiative (WPI)

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) established the WPI in FY2007. It commissioned JSPS to conduct the program’s grant selection and project assessments processes and to perform support functions aimed at maximizing the WPI Program’s achievements.
Starting from 2007, 18 WPI centers, hosted by universities and research institutions, have been established. They attract outstanding research talent from around the world and carry out research projects that produce excellent, milestone results.
All WPI centers have achieved its goal of 30% foreign researchers (in the supported period). In FY2022 the percentage of foreign researchers at the 14 WPI centers was 38.5%; that is, 669 foreign researchers out of a total 1,739 researchers.

As of April 1, 2024