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JSPS Invitation Fellowship Programs for Research in Japan

FY 2009

JSPS conducts two programs (a short- and long-term program) under the Invitation Fellowship to promote international cooperation in scientific research and to contribute to advancement of research in the subject field. Through these programs, foreign scientists are invited to Japan to participate in cooperative activities with researchers at universities and other Japanese research institutions. These visits presuppose the existence of contacts between scientists in Japan and in other countries, a condition considered favorable to the promotion of future scientific cooperation and exchange.

1. FIELDS OF RESEARCH:

All fields of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences are included under this program.

2. STARTING DATE:

Fellows must start their Fellowship in Japan during the period of 1 April 2009 - 31 March 2010.

3. HOST RESEARCHERS AND HOST INSTITUTIONS IN JAPAN:

Host researchers in Japan must be employed full-time or classified as being employed full-time at an institution of one of the types listed below:

1) Universities

2) Inter-university research institutes

3) Other research institutes and scientific research organizations listed in Table 1 (FY2009). Candidates must have arranged in advance a research plan for their stay in Japan with their prospective host researcher.

4. APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR THE PROGRAM:

Application for this program must be submitted to JSPS through a foreign nominating authority. Application process is as follows:

1) Contact made between a foreign scientist who wishes to conduct cooperative research in Japan and his/her prospective host.
2) Foreign scientist submits an application to a nominating authority.
3) Nominating authority selects the candidates and nominates them to JSPS.

[Note]

• JSPS does not find or introduce host researchers.
• Application deadlines and selection procedures differ by each nominating authority.
• Apart from receiving applications through foreign nominating authorities, JSPS also accepts applications from Japanese researchers who wish to invite a foreign researcher (Open recruitment). For details on this application channel, please see our web site. http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-fellow/fellow.html

5. MATERIALS TO BE SUBMITTED:

1) Application form (research data) written by the candidate (Format 2-Invitation).

2) A letter of acceptance/invitation from the candidate's prospective host researcher in Japan, stating that he/she accepts the candidate at his/her institution during the period of the fellowship tenure.

3) Supplementary documents (if necessary).

[Note]

• The application form submitted must be the original.
• All documents must be in either English or Japanese. When the original document is in another language, please be sure to attach an English translation (which does not need to be an official translation, but may be done by the host or candidate).

6. OBLIGATION:

1) Fellows are expected to devote themselves full time to their research during the term of the Fellowship, and may not accept employment in Japan with or without remuneration.

2) The fellowship awardees and their host researchers must submit a research report within one month of the completion of the fellowship tenure.

[Note]

• The names of the awardees and their host researchers as well as their research themes and reports are subject to public disclosure.
• The awardees will also be asked to participate in surveys aimed at improving the fellowship program.

7. HANDLING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION:

With regard to personal information contained in the application materials, it shall be strictly controlled in accordance with laws governing the protection of personal information by administrative institutions and JSPS's rules for protecting personal information.

When using personal information in implementing the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Foreign Researchers, including the provision of such information to private companies commissioned to conduct date processing management, JSPS shall observe these laws and regulations.

SHORT-TERM PROGRAM

Purpose:

To invite senior scientists to participate in discussions, attend seminars, give lectures, or perform similar functions at Japanese research institutions and laboratories.

Eligibility:

The candidate must be a researcher with an excellent record of research achievements who, in principle, is employed full-time at an overseas research institution and meets the following requirements:

1) Senior scientists, university professors, or other persons with substantial professional experience.
2) Possess either the nationality or citizenship of the nominating country or be a permanent resident of that country.

[Note]

• For Japanese nationals to be eligible, they must have resided and had substantial professional research experience in the nominating country for more than 10 years.
• Researchers who have already come to Japan under the JSPS Invitation Fellowship Program (Short-term) may not reapply for the same fellowship until three years have elapsed. Therefore, researchers who were awarded an invitation fellowship in FY 2006, 2007 or 2008 are not eligible to apply again for the same fellowship in FY2009.

Period:

From 14 to 60 days.

Terms of Award (Fellows only):

1) A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS regulations)
2) A daily maintenance allowance of 18,000 yen
3) Domestic research travel allowance of 150,000
4) Overseas travel accident and sickness insurance coverage

[Note]

• The amounts of the Awards indicated above are subject to change.
• If the Fellow resides in Japan on the date his/her award letter is issued, above mentioned air ticket to Japan will not be provided.
• A cooperation allowance of 50,000 yen is paid to host researchers.

LONG-TERM PROGRAM

Purpose:

To invite scientists to Japan to conduct cooperative research work with scientists at Japanese research institutions and laboratories.

Eligibility:

1) Possess either the nationality or citizenship of the nominating country or be a permanent resident of that country.
*For Japanese nationals to be eligible, they must have resided and had substantial professional research experience in the nominating country for more than 10 years.
2) Have a research background equivalent to that of a professor, associate/assistant professors or research associate in a Japanese university. Other researchers may be eligible if they have held a doctorate degree for a period of more than six years prior to April 2, 2009.

[Note]

• Researchers who have already come to Japan under the JSPS Invitation Fellowship Program (Long-term) may not reapply for the same fellowship until three years have elapsed. Therefore, researchers who were awarded an invitation fellowship in FY 2006, 2007 or 2008 are not eligible to apply again for the same fellowship in FY2009.

Period:

From 2 months (61 days) to 10 months.

Terms of Award (Fellows only):

1) A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS regulations)
2) A monthly maintenance allowance of 369,000 yen
3) Domestic research travel allowance of 100,000 yen
4) Research expenses of 40,000 yen
5) Overseas travel accident and sickness insurance coverage.

[Note]

• The amounts of the Awards indicated above are subject to change.
• If the Fellow resides in Japan on the date his/her award letter is issued, above mentioned air ticket to Japan will not be provided.
• A cooperation allowance of 50,000 yen is paid to host researchers.