"JSPS External Review Report" was issued.(PDF File 1.22MB)

part of his administrative reform course, launching considerations onprogram reviews, and institution reorganization and dissolution based onthe Basic Law on the Reform of Special Public Institutions, which waspassed in June 2001. As a result of these considerations, the Reorganizationand Rationalization Plan for Special Public Institutions was adopted by theCabinet on December 19, 2001, dissolving or privatizing many special publicinstitutions and converting others into independent administrativeinstitutions. The JSPS was marked to become an independentadministrative institution as of FY2003, while its fostering researchers andexchange programs, and Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research programs arescheduled to be improved and considerations undertaken as follows.[Fostering researchers and exchange program]• To ensure efficient program implementation, the JSPS Fellowshipprogram and other fostering researchers and exchange programs whichare similar to those of the Japan Science and Technology Corporationwill be merged.[Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research]• Competitive funding provision will be implemented based on overallcoordination of requests from various ministries made by the Council forScience and Technology Policy, and on evaluation of implementationstatus and announcements of it to the public. Operation will beimproved so as to eliminate unnecessary duplication and theconcentration of research funding on specific researchers.• A mechanism will be developed for competitive funding provisionwhereby persons with research experience engage in screening andevaluation with a sense of responsibility.• Research results will be rigorously evaluated based on clear definition ofthe government’s program objectives, with results and evaluationscommunicated plainly to the public. Consideration will also be given todisclosing where possible to rejected applicants the reasons for theirrejection.• Except where JSPS processing is the most rational and efficient means o fdistributing Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, the government shalldisburse these directly to recipients.128