II. Application Guidelines

A. New Research Areas

A-1. New Research Program

1.  Application Requirements

[ Team Research Type ] A research proposal should be made by the research director himself/herself. The research director shall meet the following requirements. (1) The research director shall be the author of the original research plan, shall form a research team comprising from several to about 20 members, and shall take leadership in promoting the research. (2) The research director shall be a member of a national /public testing and research institute, university, special corporation, specially-approved corporation, public corporation or company (including persons of foreign nationality). However, a person who does not currently belong to a particular research institute but who will be allowed to conduct research at a domestic research institute if his/her research proposal is adopted, or a person who is now living abroad but who will be allowed to conduct research at one of the domestic research institute listed above if his/her research proposal is adopted , may also be a research director. (3) The research director shall assume a responsible for the entire research as the person-in-charge throughout the research period. * If Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Specially Promoted Research) or other large grants from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology or any other agency of the Japanese government have been received, effort or research details, etc. may be cited as reasons for non-selection.

[ Individual Researcher Type / Postdoc-participant Type ] A research proposal should be made by the individual researcher himself/herself. The applicant shall meet the following requirements. (1) The applicant must have developed an original research concept and shall pursue the proposed research on his or her own. (2) (1) The applicant should be a researcher holding Japanese citizenship, or a researcher with foreign nationality who is resident in Japan and capable of daily conversation in Japanese. (3) The applicant should be a researcher who can take responsibility for all research work throughout the research period. * If Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Specially Promoted Research) or other large grants from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology or any other agency of the Japanese government have been received, effort or research details, etc. may be cited as reasons for non-selection. * Joint research, responsibility for which is shared among multiple researchers, is not eligible for support as Postdoc-participant Type.

(1)	Proposals for research on topics included among the 13 research areas determined based on the six strategic sectors shall be eligible for consideration. Applicants should submit research proposals after selecting the one research area that best fits their research concept.
(2)	Proposed research should result in groundbreaking developments in science and technology and be pioneering, original research that leads to the development of new technologies or industries and is worthy of high international acclaim. Basic research focusing on the development of methodologies, devices, etc. necessary for the pursuit of research is also eligible for consideration.
(3)	Nanotechnology Research
	(i) Nanotechnology is a field that will taken on significant meaning in the 21st century and three of the strategic objectives specified by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology are related to it. Accordingly, JST, in FY2002, has established ten research areas to address the field of nanotechnology in a comprehensive and focused fashion. (ii) Because these ten areas are related, a Virtual Lab will be established for the purpose of sharing information, coordinating activities, and undertaking other activities among the nanotechnology research fields that contribute to the production of greater overall results by making the related research parts of an overall effort. Therefore, there may be cases in which research directors are consulted and the research fields of research proposals are changed. (iii) It should be noted that because the above ten nanotechnology research fields have been singled out for focused, concentrated attention in the current fiscal year, it is anticipated that research proposals will not, in principle, be solicited for them in the future.

3.  Selection Process

(1) The research supervisor makes a document selection (primary examination) and an interview selection (secondary selection) in cooperation with the area advisors. JST will then use the results to make its selections of research directors, individual researchers, and research subjects. Outside reviewers may also cooperate in selection as needed. Interviews will be basically conducted in Japanese but for those who have difficulty in speaking in Japanese, JST will arrange an interview in English. (2) In interviews, the researcher who proposed the subject research will explain his or her research concept. Once determined, an interview schedule will be notified on JST's homepage (http://www.jst.go.jp/solicitation/index.html). (3) JST will inform every applicant of the results of both preliminary and secondary examinations after each set of evaluations.

4.  Research Supervisors' Opinions on Public Solicitation and Selection

For information on completing proposal forms, please refer to research supervisors' opinions on the current year's public solicitations and selection.

5.  Major Selection Criteria

[ Team Research Type ] (1) Selections will be made from perspectives including the following points. (i) The proposed research shall contribute to achievement of strategic sectors. (ii) The proposed research shall be consistent with the objectives of each research area (iii) The proposed research shall be leading-edge, original basic research, which will contribute to the formation of intellectual assets. In addition, it shall have the potential of being highly evaluated at an international level. (iv) The proposed research shall cut a way open to the further development of science and technology, and shall have a great impact upon future science and technology. In addition, it shall play a very important role in the progress of technology and be expected to lead to the development of new industries. (v) The research director has the experience necessary for pushing the research forward and can assume responsibility for the entirety of the research throughout the research period. (vi) The most appropriate system (composition of the research team, etc.) and scale (budget, etc.) shall be planned in order to optimize the research. (vii) The joint researchers comprising the main research participants and subgroups shall be essential to achieve the research planned by the research director, and they shall possess the ability to play their anticipated roles in the research. (viii) The proposed research shall lead to researchers comprising the research team developing into people who will be able to play central roles in the future development of science and technology in Japan. (2) The research supervisor and area advisors will carefully consider the need for the main research participants and their subgroups. Therefore, even if a research director is selected, he or she may be requested to revise the composition of the research team. (Note) "Main research participants" includes those representing cooperating research institutes. [ Individual Researcher Type / Postdoc-participant Type ] (1) Selections will focus on the research proposals of up-and-coming researchers and will be made from perspectives including the following points. (i) The proposed research shall contribute to achievement of strategic sectors. (ii) The proposed research shall be consistent with the objectives of each research area (iii) The proposed research was conceived by the applicant. (iv) The proposed research is original. (v) Information necessary for pursuing the proposed research is in hand. (vi) The proposed research may have a significant impact on future science and technology (formation of intellectual assets, creation of new technologies, solutions to important problems, etc.) (vii) The proposed research is of an appropriate scale.

6.  Research Expenses

Once the research themes are selected, basic points regarding research implementation, research plans, as well as research implementation plans, setting out first-year budgets will be determined by JST for each research theme. These determinations will consider the opinions of the research supervisors and the input of research directors and individual researchers. Research implementation plans will be prepared for each fiscal year.

[ Team Research Type ] (1) Research expense coverage for pre research theme shall be as described below. Team Research Type I : 40-50 million yen/yr. (approximately 200-250 million yen in total) Team Research Type II : Up to 90 million yen/yr. (approximately 450 million yen in total) Team Research Type III : 150-200 million yen/yr. (approximately 700 million-1 billion yen in total)* (Note) Reasonable ranges may be assumed to apply to the figures above. * Proposals for larger amounts of support will be considered, depending on the details of the proposed research. (2) Accounting for research expenses is premised on the full application of existing facilities and equipment. Research expenses include equipment costs, materials and supplies costs, salaries for employed researchers and travel expenses; cost of holding workshops and symposiums, and cost of lighting, fuel, water, etc. The salaries of research directors or other researchers affiliated with research institutes may not be recorded as research expenses. (3) Applicants who participate in the selection interviews should present at the time of their interviews preliminary budget totals for the second half of 2002, all of 2003, and the entire research period.

[ Individual Researcher Type / Postdoc-participant Type ] (1) Research expense coverage for pre research theme shall be as described below. Individual Researcher Type : Up to 10 million yen/yr. (approximately 30~40 million yen in total) Postdoc-participant Type : Up to 25 million yen/yr. (approximately 70~80 million yen in total) (2) Accounting for research expenses is premised on the full application of existing facilities and equipment. Research expenses include equipment costs, materials and supplies costs, salaries for employed researchers (only of Postdoc-participant Type), and travel expenses The salaries of individual researchers and rent and other expenses related to the place where the research is to be performed may also be recorded as research expenses. (3) Applicants who participate in the selection interviews should present at the time of their interviews budget totals covering the entire research period.

7.  Research Period

[ Team Research Type ] : Five years, in principle. [ Individual Researcher Type/Postdoc-participant Type ] : Three years, in principle.

8.  Number of Themes Adopted

[ Team Research Type ] : Up to five themes per research area. [ Individual Researcher Type/Postdoc-participant Type ] : Up to ten themes per research area. The numbers of themes selected will vary depending on factors such as research area characteristics and the expenses associated with the selected research themes.

9.  Research System

[ Team Research Type ] (1) This program is a research system which is managed mainly by a research director. The research director organizes a research team (a group of researchers and research assistants) consisting of several to about 20 members to take his or her leadership in promoting research. (2) The research team is allowed to have not only researchers belonging to the same research institute as the research director but also those belong to external institutes. (3) JST concludes a joint research agreement or sponsored research agreement with the research institutes to which the research director and members of the research team belong. JST concludes a sponsored research agreement if the research institute is a national university, its research institute or its cooperative shared facility, and a joint research agreement for other research institutes. (4) If requested by research directors, JST can employ young researchers, foreign researchers and assistants within the range of research expenses, and dispatch them to the research team.

[ Individual Researcher Type/Postdoc-participant Type ] (1) For Individual Researcher Type, the researcher works alone. For Postdoc-participant Type, research work is performed by a research group of 2-3 people consisting of the researcher, technicians, etc. (2) JST concludes a joint research agreement or sponsored research agreements with the research institutes where individual researchers perform their research. JST concludes a sponsored research agreement if the research institute is a national university, its research institute or its cooperative shared facility, and a joint research agreement for other research institutes. (3) Selected individual researchers become affiliated with JST on a full-time, part-time, transferred, or other basis for the duration of the research period. Researchers who wish to be affiliated with JST on a part-time, transferred, or temporary leave basis should consult with the research institutes with which they are affiliated prior to submitting their proposal application. (In particular, researchers who are affiliated with national universities or research institutes and fail to consult with their university or research institute prior to submitting their proposal application, may become ineligible for selection.) For information on employment terms and related matters, please refer to this contents of the attachment.

10.  Research Site

[ Team Research Type ] In principle, the existing research site in the institute which researchers belong to or the facilities owned by JST are used to conduct research.

[ Individual Researcher Type / Postdoc-participant Type ] The research site will be determined upon consideration of research plans and environments, and consultation with the researcher. If necessary procedures are completed, it is possible for the researcher to perform his or her work at the research institute with which they are affiliated.

11.  Research Support System

JST establishes research offices for each research area to provide daily services related to the research, including the purchase of equipment and materials and business trip arrangements. Technical advisors in charge of coordinating research plans, monitoring the progress of the research, filing patent applications, arranging for external presentations as well as administrative advisors engaged in the purchase of equipment and materials, management of goods, and arrangement of business trips will be positioned at the research offices to support the researchers under the control of the research supervisor.

12.  Responsibilities of the Selected Research Director and Individual Researcher

(1) Promoting and Managing Research The selected research director and the individual researcher shall assume responsibility for the promotion of the overall research project. Specifically, he/she shall assume responsibility for management of the research and for the research results. In addition, he/she shall take charge of administrative issues including the preparation of written research plans, regular reporting of the results, management and use of funds, and personnel management including the arrangement of business trips. (2) Presentation of Research Results The selected research director or the individual researcher shall try as far as possible to obtain intellectual property rights including patent rights. He/she shall actively present the research results both within and outside Japan. When he/she presents a paper on the results of the research, he/she shall state in the paper that the results have been obtained under the Strategic Creation Research Promotion Program provided by JST. He / she shall participate with members of the research team in workshops and symposiums held in Japan or abroad by JST. He/she shall also report on the progress of the research to the research supervisor as required. (3) The selected research director and the individual researcher shall comply with the joint research agreement, commissioned research agreement, and employment agreement concluded with JST or with the research institute, and shall also comply with all other JST regulations. (4) The selected research director and the individual researcher may be requested to offer a variety of information in order to construct a database on national research and development activities.

13.  Intellectual Property Rights

Presently, patents and other forms of intellectual property are to be jointly owned by JST and the research institute with which the researcher is affiliated, or the researcher who made the relevant discoveries. In the future, patents and other forms of intellectual property that have resulted from research sponsored at research institutes (universities, etc.) may become the sole properties of those research institutes (universities, etc.)

14.  Research Evaluations, etc.

[ Team Research Type ] The research supervisor will monitor the progress and results of the research, and will prepare, in cooperation with the area advisors, an intermediate report about three years after the start of the research for a research period of five years and an ex post fact report as soon as possible after completion of the research.

[ Individual Researcher Type / Postdoc-participant Type ] The research supervisor will monitor the progress and results of the research, and will prepare, in cooperation with the area advisors, an ex post fact report as soon as possible after completion of the research.

15.  Other

[ Team Research Type ] Participation of Researchers Affiliated with Foreign Research Institutes as Joint Researchers In principle, research shall be performed at a research institute located in Japan. Researchers affiliated with foreign research institutes may participate as members of research teams, and research may be performed at research institutes located outside of Japan, only when all of the following conditions are met. (1) Performance of research at a foreign facility is judged necessary for the performance of the research director's proposed research, and performance at a facility located in Japan would be difficult. (2) Conclusion by the foreign facility and JST of an agreement meeting specific conditions is possible. Applicants who wish to perform their research at a foreign facility should use Form 11 to explain the reasons therefor.

[ Individual Researcher Type / Postdoc-participant Type ] Research Performed at Foreign Research Institutes Research shall, in principle, be performed at facilities located in Japan. Research may be performed at research facilities located outside of Japan only when all of the following conditions are met. (1) Performance of research at a foreign facility is judged necessary for an individual researcher to perform the proposed research, and performance at a facility located in Japan would be difficult. (2) Conclusion by the foreign facility and JST of an agreement meeting specific conditions is possible. (3) The applicant has obtained confirmation from the head of the foreign facility that the applicant will be able to perform his or her research independently at the foreign facility, should they be selected. Applicants who wish to perform their research at a foreign facility should use Form 11 to explain the reasons therefor.

(Attachment) Employment and Other Terms Applying to Individual Researcher Type and Post-doc-participant Type

1. Employment Terms Employment terms shall, in principle, be those of JST. However, working hours, break times, and days off shall be determined according to the location where research is performed. 2. Compensation and Social Insurance for Researchers (1)   Full-Time Researchers (i) Researchers not affiliated with a research institute, company, etc., or who have quit, or are on temporary leave from, a research institute, company, etc. The compensation paid by JST to researchers shall be paid according to according to an annual system. Compensation shall include salary, allowances, bonuses, etc. and shall remain unchanged for the duration of the research period. As social insurance, researchers are asked to subscribe to a health insurance of which JST is a member, employees' pension insurance, the employees' pension fund, and unemployment insurance. (2)   Part-Time Researchers (i) Part-time researchers maintaining affiliations with a national university, private university, national testing research institute, independent administrative entity, etc. Fixed monthly compensation will be paid according to JSTs rules. (ii) Researchers transferred from companies, foundations, etc. The standard for salary paid by JST shall be that amount of salary that could have been earned at the company, foundation, etc. from which the researcher was transferred. Salary shall be paid through the company, foundation, etc. from which the researcher was transferred. JST shall also pay to the company, foundation, etc. from which the researcher was transferred that entity's employer's burdens for health insurance, employees' pension insurance, allowance for employee retirement, etc. The amounts paid by JST shall be calculated by applying the proportion of time spent on research for JST to figures for salary and employer's burdens noted above. The proportion of the researcher's time spent on research for JST shall be determined after the researcher is selected through discussions with the company, foundation, etc. from which the researcher will be transferred. Ideally, researchers will spend more than 80% of their time on research for JST. Regarding social insurance, researchers shall continue health insurance, employees' pension insurance, the employees' pension fund, and unemployment insurance under the company, foundation, etc. from which they are transferred. However, JST will be the employer of record for purposes of workmen's accident compensation insurance.

This section is updated on July 25, 2002
Copyright© 2002 Japan Science and Technology Corporation.