Reporting Channel for Research Misconduct

The Institute for Social Vision Design (ISVD, hereafter "the Institute") accepts reports of research misconduct (fabrication, falsification, plagiarism; hereafter "specified misconduct") from both within and outside the Institute. This page outlines the reporting channels, procedures, and reporter protection policy.

This page details the reporting channel established under Articles 10-19 of the "Research Misconduct Response Rules" (enacted July 1, 2026). For an overview of the regulation, please see Research Integrity — Regulations.

You may use any of the following channels. Anonymous submissions are accepted.

1.1 Primary Channel: Web Form

• Reporting form: /en/contact?subject=subjectMisconductReport
• Accessing the link above will open the form with the subject pre-selected
• Name and email fields may be left blank (for anonymous reports)
• Recipient: Compliance Officer (Representative Director Naoya Yokota)

1.2 Postal Mail

• Mailing address: 2-22-20 Hakusan, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-0001, Japan (Institute for Social Vision Design)
• Anonymous postal submissions are accepted
• We recommend marking the envelope "Report Documents / Confidential" in red

1.3 External Channels (when third-party neutrality is required)

• MEXT Research Integrity Promotion Office: Reporting channel designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
• Funding Agency Reporting Channel: Reporting channel of the funding agency for the relevant research funds
• Please check the official website of each institution for the latest contact information

Please include the following information to the extent possible.

• Name and affiliation of the subject of the report (to the extent possible)
• Research activities in question (paper title, project title, publication date, etc.)
• Details of the specified misconduct (fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism, and specific circumstances)
• Reporter's contact information (anonymous submissions accepted, though difficulty in identity verification may constrain the investigation)

2.1 About Anonymous Reporting

Anonymous reports are accepted, with the following considerations:

• Follow-up verification may be difficult, potentially delaying the start of the investigation
• Anonymous reports containing sufficiently specific and investigable information will proceed to preliminary investigation

The standard flow from report receipt to investigation completion is as follows.

The Institute aims to complete the entire process from receipt to final report within 210 days as a general rule (a guideline from MEXT's "Guidelines for Responding to Misconduct in Research Activities").

The Institute protects reporters in the following respects.

4.1 Assurance of Anonymity

• The reporter's name and contact information are shared within the investigation committee only to the minimum extent necessary
• If the content of the report may allow identification of the reporter, an investigation method that avoids such identification will be prioritized, with prior consent from the reporter

4.2 Prohibition of Adverse Treatment

• Dismissal, demotion, salary reduction, transfer, and any other adverse treatment due to the report are prohibited
• If the reporter is a member of the Institute, no impact on their duties or treatment shall occur

4.3 Response to Malicious Reports

• If a malicious report (a knowingly false report, or a report intended to unfairly benefit the reporter) is determined, disciplinary action against the reporter may be considered
• However, the determination of "malicious" is made based on careful judgment by the investigation committee; the mere fact that a report is not substantiated does not constitute malice

The Institute also guarantees the following rights to the subject of a report.

• Notification of the main content of the report at the start of the investigation (excluding information that could identify the reporter)
• Opportunity for rebuttal and defense during the investigation
• Opportunity to comment on interim reports during preliminary and full investigations
• Right to appeal the determination result (Articles 37-42 of the regulation)
• Right to request re-investigation (in the case of new evidence)

Records related to reports, investigations, determinations, and disciplinary actions are retained for the following periods.

• Report-related records: 10 years from the date of determination
• Investigation committee minutes: 10 years from the date of determination
• Determination and disciplinary action documents: 30 years from the date of determination
• Records of preliminary investigations that did not proceed to full investigation: 5 years from the date of preliminary investigation completion

This reporting channel has been operational since July 1, 2026.

For questions about the reporting channel or the content of this page, please use the contact form. Please note that the report itself should be sent through the reporting channels above (Web form, postal mail, or external channel).

• Research Integrity — Regulations (Summary of the three regulations)
• Editorial Governance (Governance policy for content editing)
• Contact