1. Background
The ‘Basic Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data’ was created by the Integrated Innovation Strategy Promotion Council on February 16, 2024. In it, the government states that in order to enable everyone to access to scholarly publications and scientific data freely, it promotes supporting the establishment of a collective bargaining system of universities to negotiate with global academic publishers (‘platformers’) and aims to optimize the financial burden on the research community through these negotiation efforts. Since strong negotiating power is necessary to achieve this, the Cabinet Office organized a meeting, whose members are vice presidents and directors of the universities consist of RU11 (Research University 11), a consortium of Japan’s leading research universities. At the meeting, in preparation for the start of discussions with academic publishers regarding contract terms, the Cabinet Office requested universities to cooperate with one another and team up to build a collective bargaining system, which lead to the establishment of OASE. A number of experts on issues related to academic journals are part of OASE. Members work together in their respective roles to promote open access through consultation with global academic publishers.
Related policies in Japan
- G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Communique (May 12-14, 2023)
- G7 Hiroshima Leaders’ Communiqué(May 20, 2023)
- Summary of issues related to open access (May 25, 2023)
- Integrated Innovation Strategy 2023(June 9, 2023)
- Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2023(June 16, 2023)
- Grand Design and Action Plan for a New Form of Capitalism 2023 Revised Version(June 16, 2023)
- Basic ideas for Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications (October 30, 2023)
- Basic Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data(February 16, 2024)
- Specific policies for implementing the ‘Basic Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data’ (February 21, 2024)
- Briefing on the ‘Basic Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data’ (April 24-25, 2024)
- Integrated Innovation Strategy 2024(June 4, 2024)
- Grand Design and Action Plan for a New Form of Capitalism 2024 Revised Version (June 21, 2024)
- Specific policies for implementing the ‘Basic Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data’ Proposed Amendment (July 30, 2024)
- Briefing on the Specific policies for implementing the ‘Basic Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data’ (August 27-28, 2024)
2. Activities
OASE has been in discussions with publishers since February 2024. In general, the progress of discussions with each publisher will be shared only with participating institutions, however, updates may be shared on this website.