Guide · 9 min read

JSPS KAKENHI: Application Guide for Researchers in Japan

KAKENHI (Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research) is the bedrock of bottom-up research funding in Japan, administered by JSPS. It awards roughly 70,000 grants annually with success rates around 25%. Researchers based at Japanese institutions can apply across multiple categories sized to their career stage and ambition.

1. The KAKENHI categories

• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S) — large-scale, JPY 50M–200M, 5 years. For senior PIs leading transformative work.
• Scientific Research (A) / (B) / (C) — mid-scale and entry-level. (A) up to JPY 50M; (B) up to JPY 20M; (C) up to JPY 5M, all over 3–5 years.
• Challenging Research (Pioneering / Exploratory) — high-risk, high-reward.
• Early-Career Scientists — first-time applicants ≤8 years post-PhD; up to JPY 5M over 4 years.
• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas — multi-PI consortium with thematic focus.

2. Eligibility

The PI must be a researcher at a Japanese institution registered with JSPS as eligible. Foreign researchers working in Japan are eligible (no nationality requirement). The institution must apply on the researcher’s behalf via e-Rad.

3. Submission cycle

KAKENHI runs annually. Typical timeline:

• Call publication: September
• Submission deadline: early November
• Decision: April
• Funding starts: April

4. The proposal

Submitted in Japanese (English allowed for some categories — confirm in the call text). Length varies by category; typical structure:

• Research project name and abstract
• Research purpose — objectives, novelty, originality, expected academic impact
• Research methods — methodology by objective, equipment, collaborators
• Research environment — institutional capability, prior preparation
• Research organisation — team and roles
• Budget plan — itemised by year
• Achievements — publications, prior funded grants, contributions

The proposal is shorter than European equivalents but expects a high density of detail per page. Reviewers read quickly and rely heavily on the abstract.

5. Evaluation

Two stages:

• First-stage screening — written reviews by 4 reviewers. Each scores the proposal on six criteria.
• Second-stage panel — for borderline proposals, a discipline panel discusses and ranks.

Scoring criteria:

• Academic significance (重要性)
• Originality and creativity (創造性)
• Feasibility of research methods (実現可能性)
• Research environment
• Track record
• Appropriateness of budget

6. Common reasons for decline

• Abstract that doesn’t state the central question in the first sentence.
• Methodology described technique-by-technique without binding to objectives.
• Track record listed without explanation of contribution to the proposed work.
• Budget request not aligned with the workplan (most common single reason).
• Originality claim that doesn’t differentiate from competitors’ recent papers.

7. Tips

• For non-Japanese-native PIs, get a Japanese colleague to copy-edit. Reviewer comments often note language clarity.
• The abstract is read by all 4 reviewers; the body sometimes only by 2–3. Spend time on the abstract.
• Track record section: highlight 5 most relevant papers with one-sentence positioning each.
• For Early-Career Scientists, independence evidence matters — corresponding-author papers, distinct line of inquiry from PhD supervisor.
• Consult e-Rad and your institution’s research office well before deadline; submission is institutional.

Track every JSPS KAKENHI call automatically

Grant Radar tracks JSPS, JST, and 22 other funders worldwide. New JSPS calls ranked against your ORCID profile, emailed only if relevant. Free during the public beta.