Strengthening research in emerging and interdisciplinary fields: KAKENHI to "enhance challenging nature"

Emerging and interdisciplinary research is said to open up new academic fields, lead to new scientific discoveries, and generate social impact. At the same time, it has been pointed out that interdisciplinary proposals are less likely to be adopted under the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) program. It is urgent to build a review system that better accommodates highly interdisciplinary research related to emerging and fusion fields. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has decided on a policy to further enhance the challenging nature of research, starting with next fiscal year's call for proposals.

First, several reforms will be made to the Challenging Research (Exploratory/Pioneering) category, which is reviewed by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

A new scheme will be introduced, allowing research projects adopted under the three-year Challenging Research (Exploratory) category to apply for the Challenging Research (Pioneering) category in the fiscal year before the final fiscal year of their project, keeping the door open for continuous challenge. If a researcher wishes to further develop results previously obtained through an "Exploratory" project into a "Pioneering" project, they will be required to state this clearly in their Research Proposal Document. The evaluation criteria for the Pioneering category will be revised to properly assess progress and major leaps from the Exploratory stage to the Pioneering stage. Reviewers will be briefed to avoid the misconception in the review process that research that has already been carried out under the Exploratory category has lost its challenging character.

To encourage active application by young researchers, restrictions on holding concurrent grants under Challenging Research (Exploratory) and Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) will be relaxed for young researchers who are 39 years of age or under as of April 1 of the adoption fiscal year, allowing them to apply for and receive both simultaneously. In FY2025, the number of new applications for Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) from researchers aged 39 or under was approximately 6,000, in addition to around 6,000 ongoing projects; accordingly, concurrent applications to Challenging Research (Exploratory) are expected to reach a maximum of 21,000. In cases of concurrent application, researchers will be required to state their research effort (effort rate).

To help both reviewers and applicants understand the concept of "challenging nature," the most important value in Challenging Research, the call for proposals will include concrete research examples illustrating what it means, in addition to the existing definition. Supplementary explanations and illustrative diagrams are also planned for the KAKENHI FAQ.

Specifically, this category covers: research that is based on novel ideas and stimulates people's curiosity; research with the potential to lead to the discovery of new principles or scientific knowledge; research with the potential to prompt a reconsideration of established academic concepts or frameworks; research with the potential to bring about a major shift in thinking or the introduction of innovative methodologies; and research with the potential to create emerging or interdisciplinary fields that go beyond the boundaries of existing academic disciplines.

A two-stage document review process will be introduced for the Pioneering category, which has previously used a combination of document review and panel review. However, in the second stage of the document review, the electronic review system will be configured to allow reviewers to check the specializations of other reviewers, in the same way that is possible during panel reviews.

The Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (B), for which MEXT conducts the call for proposals and review, is a research category aimed at creating new fields through collaboration among diverse young researchers and developing new fields that are recognized internationally. However, the number of applications (632 for FY2025 KAKENHI grants) is relatively low compared with other categories. Applications from researchers who have completed Challenging Research (Exploratory), whom the category is particularly intended to attract, stand at only 35 (1.8%). Similarly, applications following completion of Challenging Research (Pioneering) number just 6 (2.2%).

To strengthen the pipeline from Challenging Research (Exploratory), Challenging Research (Pioneering), and the FOREST (Fusion Oriented REsearch for disruptive Science and Technology) program to the Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (B), the age limit will be raised from 45 to 49. In addition, as is already the case for the Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (A), proposals that seek to further develop a previously adopted research area will also be eligible if the proposed work shows promise for evolving into a new field through a major leap or expansion of existing research.

Through these initiatives, emerging and interdisciplinary research will be strengthened under KAKENHI. In addition, networking opportunities for young researchers whose projects have been adopted under KAKENHI and young researchers whose projects have been adopted under JST's Strategic Basic Research Programs will be created. The aim of this networking is to thereby foster outstanding young researchers while connecting ideas born of free thinking to the resolution of social challenges and the creation of innovation.