Research Hub

Regional Focus: Japan

With roots in Japan dating back to the 1980s, Springer Nature has built long‑standing partnerships with Japanese researchers, institutions and the wider research ecosystem. Through trusted publishing brands, rigorous editorial standards and sustained community engagement, we support the communication of high‑quality Japanese research and help ensure it can be found, trusted and built upon worldwide. 

Delivering value through trusted research

Impact and reach

  • Regional presence: Springer Nature has an office in Tokyo, with around 200 colleagues working across editorial, sales, marketing and publishing services, supporting researchers, institutions and partners across Japan and the wider Asia‑Pacific region. 

  • Publishing strength: Springer Nature publishes approximately 80 Japan‑associated journals, including approximately 15% fully open access journals, alongside a growing scholarly books programme. Annual book output has increased steadily from around 250 titles in 2023 to more than 320 titles published in 2025. Japan also has an editorial team that publishes the Japanese edition of Nature and the monthly magazine Nature Digest, supporting wider access to international research for Japanese readers and communities.

  • A trusted venue for Japanese research: Research originating in Japan is widely published across Nature Portfolio, Springer and BMC journals and books, trusted for their editorial standards, international visibility and enduring impact across a wide range of disciplines. Work from Japanese institutions contributes to advances in areas such as advanced materials and regenerative medicine—fields in which Japan has sustained global leadership. Authors in Japan publishing with Springer’s books programme have also received a range of national and international academic awards, reflecting the quality and influence of their scholarship. 

  • Partner to the community: Through close collaboration with universities, institutions, funders, industry partners and the wider research and innovation ecosystem—and structured dialogue via initiatives such as the Japan Research Advisory Forum (JRAF) —Springer Nature works alongside the Japanese research community to exchange insights, share expertise, receive advice and promote best practice to advance research and publishing. 

  • Global research context: Independent indicators such as the Nature Index consistently place Japan among the world’s leading research nations, reflecting the scale and international reach of research produced by Japanese institutions. 

Enabling transparency and reproducibility

Springer Nature supports transparency and reproducibility in line with Japan’s evolving open science policies, into practical publishing standards that work across disciplines. By embedding guidance on data sharing, reporting and transparency within editorial and peer review processes, we help researchers navigate evolving expectations and adopt reproducible practices in ways that fit Japanese research cultures and workflows.  

Alongside transparency and reproducibility, there is a strong focus on increasing the visibility and global impact of Japanese research, as well as supporting collaboration across the research and innovation ecosystem.

Partnerships: supporting open research in Japan 

Springer Nature works with Japanese institutions, consortia and national initiatives to support a sustainable transition to open research, in line with Japan’s evolving open science agenda. A transformative agreement with the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association + (OASE+), covering 2026–2028, supports researchers at around 80 institutions to publish open access, with the potential to enable around 3,000 open access articles in a single year.

Alongside this, Springer Nature contributes to national dialogue on sustainable publishing models and the implementation of open research through ongoing engagement with stakeholders across the Japanese research ecosystem. Together, these partnerships help scale access to Japanese research while supporting approaches that reflect the priorities and structure of the Japanese research system.

Standards: embedding transparency and reproducibility in publishing practice  

Alongside open access agreements, Springer Nature supports reproducibility in Japan by embedding transparency into publishing workflows in ways that reflect policy direction and community needs —particularly the need for clearer guidance and support around research data management and reporting practices identified through national surveys and community engagement. This includes clearer reporting standards, data availability statements, repository linking and editorial guidance designed to support responsible data sharing, reuse and long‑term stewardship.  

Industry insight: evidence from the State of Open Data 

Evidence from The State of Open Data surveys provides important context for transparency and reproducibility in Japan. The surveys show that Japanese researchers generally support open data in principle, while also highlighting lower awareness of practical concepts such as FAIR data principles and a strong emphasis on recognition and appropriate citation as motivations for sharing data. 

These findings align with insights from Japan‑focused research integrity studies, which point to ongoing gaps in training and institutional support around data management and reproducibility. Taken together, this evidence helps inform Springer Nature’s editorial policies, guidance and partnerships, supporting reproducible research practices that work in real research environments. 

Safeguarding the scientific record

Trust in research underpins public confidence, the responsible use of research funding and evidence‑based policymaking in Japan. Springer Nature plays a central role in safeguarding the integrity of the scientific record by ensuring Japanese research is independently reviewed, transparently corrected where required, and reliable over time on the global stage. 

Alongside our global research integrity framework, we work closely with Japanese institutions, researchers and advisory groups — including through initiatives such as the Japan Research Advisory Forum (JRAF) and our national research integrity survey programme, supported by engagement with organisations such as the Japanese Association for the Advancement of Science (JAAS) — to strengthen shared standards and respond to challenges highlighted through community dialogue, supporting ongoing engagement and discussion with institutions on areas such as data management, training and responsible research practices.


Case study: Evidence led insight from research integrity studies in Japan

Research integrity investigation

Springer Nature’s national research integrity studies in Japan gathered insight from researchers and institutional stakeholders across the country. Findings showed high levels of access to research integrity training, while also highlighting ongoing support needs—particularly around research data management, including data policies, licensing, storage and reuse. 

These insights help inform dialogue with Japanese research organisations, contributing to broader discussions that can inform policy and practice, supporting a shift from compliance‑driven approaches towards a broader focus on research quality, transparency and trust. 

Working in collaboration with the community

Across Japan, Springer Nature works in close partnership with academic and industry stakeholders to support progress and strengthen confidence in science. This includes contributing to conversations on research integrity and openness through initiatives such as our research integrity and research communication surveys, supporting research communication, and collaborating with academic and industry partners.  


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Community dialogue and partnerships in Japan 

The Japan Research Advisory Forum (JRAF) brings together leaders and experts to discuss key issues facing Japan’s research ecosystem, including research communication, open research and research integrity. Insights from the Forum have informed national surveys and engagement activities, helping surface researcher perspectives and support needs. 

Springer Nature partners with the University of Tokyo to support the annual SDGs‑focused symposia, bringing together researchers, policymakers and industry representatives to explore how research, evidence and collaboration can contribute to addressing global challenges. The collaboration highlighted the role of trusted research communication in connecting research evidence with societal challenges and real‑world decision‑making in Japan. 


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Supporting inclusivity and science communication in Japan

Springer Nature collaborates with industry partners to advance inclusion and scientific progress across disciplines. Through initiatives such as the Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature, we help recognize and amplify the achievements of women researchers and innovators, supporting visibility, opportunity and inclusion within Japan’s STEM community.

At the same time, our long-standing partnership with Yakult Honsha through The Global Grants for Gut Health demonstrates how industry collaboration can also accelerate discovery. Now in its ninth year, this global grant program supports investigator-led research into the human gut microbiome, enabling scientists worldwide to pursue innovative ideas that deepen understanding of its role in human health. Together, these partnerships reflect our commitment to both empowering diverse talent and advancing high-impact science on a global scale.

Training Grants for Early Career Researchers

Case study: Insights from Japan’s research communication survey 

Springer Nature’s national research communication survey in Japan, developed in collaboration with the Japan Research Advisory Forum (JRAF), explored how researchers perceive and practice research communication. 

The survey showed strong recognition among Japanese researchers of the importance of communicating their research to wider audiences, alongside high levels of interest in engaging beyond the academic community. At the same time, the findings highlighted practical barriers, including limited time, training and institutional support for effective research communication. 

The results are informing ongoing dialogue with Japanese institutions and researchers on how publishers and partners can better support research communication as a core component of research quality, visibility and public trust.