I. Program Overview

1. Program Theme

In light of the nation's science and technology policies and its social and economic needs, the national government has set objectives (strategic sectors) that will have a significant impact on society. With those strategic sectors in mind, JST sets research areas that should be pursued, and promotes basic research to achieve them.

2. Program Overview


(1)	JST promotes basic research that will plant the seeds for innovative technology and make contributions toward achievement of the strategic sectors set by the government.
(2)	JST selects research areas within the framework of the strategic sectors and publicly solicits research proposals for each research area. Research supervisors select research proposals from submitted proposals in consultation with area advisors.
(3)	JST directly manages budgeting and research operations considering research progress and evaluations.
(4)	JST works to disseminate research results as widely as possible to benefit society.
(5)	JST evaluates research subjects that have been taken up.
(6)	JST supports the continuation of research that produces promising results.

3. Research Proposal Solicitation

Thirteen new research areas have been established in light of the six new strategic sectors set forth in the current year. Proposals will also be solicited for the research areas in existence as of the last fiscal year. Solicitations of these latter proposals will be performed as in prior years.

(Note)

Unlike in prior years, proposals for the Research and Development for Applying Advanced Computational Science and Technology (ACT-JST) program will not be solicited. Beginning in the current fiscal year, proposals will be solicited for the research area titled, Construction of Foundation for Innovation of Simulation Technology and Preparing It for Practical Application, so please refer to the New Research Program.

(1)

New Research Areas

(i) New Research Program

Research will be performed in a research area newly established in FY2002.

<Characteristics>
·	Under this system, research directors or individual researchers, working under a research supervisor's management will apply the research potential of their universities, research institutes, etc., to pursue basic research selected as significant for the creation of intellectual assets.
·	Research will be pursued based on flexible research systems constructed to suit the characteristics of specific research areas and subjects.
	(a)	For Team Research Type, the research director will assemble an appropriate research team from among researchers in industry, academia, or government, assume responsibility for the research subject, and lead the research work.
	(b)	In the case of Individual Researcher Type or Postdoc-participant Type, the selected individuals will pursue their research either individually or with the participation of post-doctoral researchers.

(2)

Continuing Research Areas

(i) CREST Program

Research is performed, applying the characteristics of the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, which was in existence up through the last fiscal year.

	<Characteristics>
	·	Under this system, research directors, working under a research supervisor's management, apply the research potential of their universities, testing research institutes, etc., to pursue basic research selected as significant for the creation of intellectual assets.
	·	Research directors assemble an appropriate research team from among researchers in industry, academia, or government and lead the team's efforts.
	·	The research director, as the person responsible for the research subject, leads the research work.

(ii) PRESTO Program

Research is performed, applying the characteristics of the programs for Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO 21), which were in existence up through the last fiscal year.

	<Characteristics>
	·	This is a system for applying the free thinking and originality of up-and-coming researchers to pursue basic research for creating the seeds of cutting-edge science and technology.
	·	The selected individual researchers pursue research either independently (Individual Researcher Type) or with the participation of post-doctoral researchers (Postdoc-participant Type).
	·	The selected individual researchers pursue research under the research supervisor's management.

(iii) RISTEX Program

Research is performed, applying the characteristics of the Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society Program, which was in existence up through the last fiscal year.

	<Characteristics>
	·	Ideally, research will aim to find solutions to various current social problems and build new systems for society and be pursued from a multidimensional perspective that integrates the viewpoints of the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities and is not restricted to traditional academic fields.
	·	For the current year, proposals will be solicited not for research leading to the creation of hardware, or the creation or evaluation of material samples, but for research leading to the creation or proposal of systems or policies for the benefit of society.
	·	RISTEX Program is being pursued as a part of the activities of the Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society (see P35), which was established jointly by JST and the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, to comprehensively pursue science and technology for the benefit of society.

4. Research Areas for Which Proposals Are Being Solicited

New Research Areas

New Research Program (Application Guidelines)


(i)	JST promotes basic research that will plant the seeds for innovative technology and make contributions toward achievement of the strategic sectors set by the government.
(ii)	JST selects research areas within the framework of the strategic sectors and publicly solicits research proposals for each research area. Research supervisors select research proposals from submitted proposals in consultation with area advisors.
(iii)	JST directly manages budgeting and research operations considering research progress and evaluations.
(iv)	JST works to disseminate research results as widely as possible to benefit society.
(v)	JST evaluates research subjects that have been taken up.
(vi)	JST supports the continuation of research that produces promising results.
(vii)	Use and control of nano structure materials for realizing advanced data processing and communications^*
(viii)	Creation of bio device/system that uses chemical/biosystem molecules for medical treatment^*
(ix)	Construction and use of hyperfunctional structure such as a soft nano machine^*
(x)	Creation of functional material/system by molecular orientation control of self-organizing for medical treatment^*
(xi)	Creation of nano structure control catalyst and new material for environmental conservation^*
(xii)	Creation of nano structure materials/system for advanced use of energy^*
(xiii)	Creation of innovative technologies by fusion of data, bio, environmental and nano technologies^*

(Note)

For area (iii), it is expected that there could be a significant number of proposals for research, such as that for development of innovative software, in which even individuals could produce significant results. Therefore, proposals for this area will be accepted for Individual Researcher Type and Postdoc-participant Type, as well as for Team Research Type.

For area (xiii), proposals for relatively early-stage multidisciplinary nanotechnology research will also be entertained. Such proposals will be accepted as proposals for either Individual Researcher Type or Postdoc-participant Type.

For other areas, only proposals for team research will be accepted.

Continuing Research Areas

CREST Program (Application Guidelines)


(i)	Protein Structures and Functional Mechanisms
(ii)	Translational Research for Intractable Immune Disorders and Infectious Diseases
(iii)	New High-performance Information Processing Technology Supporting Information-oriented Society
(iv)	Plants Functions and Their Control
(v)	Development, Differentiation, and Regeneration in Biological Systems
(vi)	JST supports the continuation of research that produces promising results.

PRESTO Program (Application Guidelines)

[ Individual Researcher Type ]		[ Postdoc-participant Type ]
(i)	Structure and Function of Biomolecules	(i)	Host and Defense
(ii)	Information and Cell Function	(ii)	Light and Control
(iii)	Information Infrastructure and Applications	(iii)	Synthesis and Control
(iv)	Nanostructures and Material Properties	(iv)	Intelligent Cooperation and Control
(v)	Recognition and Formation	(v)	Time's Arrow and Controls
(vi)	Structural Ordering and Physical Properties	(vi)	Conversion and Control by Advanced Chemistry
(vii)	Interaction and Intelligence
(viii)	Form and Function

RISTEX Program (Application Guidelines)


(i)	Social Systems Studies/ST for Society
(ii)	The study on Sustainable Society
(iii)	The Brain Sciences and Education

5. Expense Coverage and Research Periods by Research Type

New Research Areas

Continuing Research Areas

*	Research may be continued if, upon evaluation, it is judged that additional valuable knowledge may result.
**	Proposals for larger amounts of support will be considered, depending on the details of the proposed research.