October 28, 2006
Revised March 2023
Partial Revised June 2025
Partial Revised October 2025
Translated October 2025
The “Japan Sociological Society’s Code of Ethics” was established in October 2005. The following Guidelines, based on this Code, present the basic principles that members of the Japan Sociological Society (JSS) must respect and adhere to in their research, teaching, and daily academic activities, as well as in their activities related to the JSS.
Recently, the relationship between scientific research and society has received increasing attention. In sociology, which encompasses the study of society and human beings, ethically conducting research is of paramount importance. However, it is difficult to impose uniform standards for sociological research, because an extremely wide variety of subjects and methods fall within its scope. Additionally, the requirements of the Code of Ethics and Guidelines change with time as social demands evolve. They must be interpreted and applied depending on the purpose of the research and specific circumstances.
Therefore, the Guidelines seek neither to control the entire body of sociological research nor do they attempt to constrain its freedom and potential. Rather, the Code of Ethics and these Guidelines have been formulated to enhance the quality of education and research, maintain public trust, and protect sociological research from various types of pressures and temptations. We hope that the members will actively and autonomously engage in research and education, upholding both the letter and spirit of the Code of Ethics and Guidelines.
The Guidelines have been formulated to assist in the research and educational activities of all members, particularly for inexperienced members conducting sociological research and for members involved in guiding undergraduate and graduate students. We hope that our members will apply these Guidelines.
There are numerous methods for conducting sociological research, which are broadly categorized into quantitative and qualitative approaches. Regardless of the method employed, sociological researchers should consider many issues, including those that merit consideration. In the following, we first list the key principles that should be considered and then those that merit consideration.
When designing research, researchers should carefully consider whether the research objectives, processes, or findings may conflict with social justice or infringe upon the human rights of individuals. Furthermore, researchers should pay particular attention to ensuring that their work does not damage the reputation of individuals, groups, or organizations, or unnecessarily disclose personal information.
Researchers should develop a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of research methodologies to select the most appropriate approach based on the research subjects, key issues, topics, and available resources. They should also familiarize themselves with existing sociological research to effectively determine what information to seek, and communicate the research purpose to participants. Researchers are responsible for ensuring that they have acquired and understood knowledge.
Regardless of the method applied, sociological research places a greater or lesser burden on the participants, potentially affecting their thoughts, emotions, lifestyles, and social relationships, and carrying risks such as privacy violations and data leaks. Researchers should first thoroughly examine previous research in the research design stage to determine whether new research is necessary. They should also seek advice from advisors, seniors, peers, and other experts regarding their research plan. It is important for researchers to carefully consider whether their research will yield insights that cannot be obtained otherwise and assess its academic and societal significance. Such considerations are crucial for securing participants’ cooperation and ensuring meaningful research.
The collection of high-quality data is challenging, especially amid a deteriorating social research environment, such as declining response rates. Furthermore, when many researchers share an interest in a particular subject, this may lead to a situation in which the same participants are repeatedly asked to respond to similar research. Thus, efforts are underway to regard social research data, including qualitative data, as a resource for sociology as a whole and to archive them. Additionally, microdata from official statistics such as the Population Census have become increasingly available. To make the most of these valuable resources, researchers should actively use data that can be employed for secondary analysis and deposit the data collected for their research in an archive so that other researchers can utilize it for secondary analysis.
An increasing number of institutions with researcher members or participant-side organizations have recently established ethics review committees. In the presence of such committees, researchers should conduct research only after confirming that stipulated procedures have been followed. Furthermore, during the peer-review process of an academic journal, the editorial board might ask whether the research has already undergone an ethics review.
Ethics review committees constitute a mechanism developed mainly in the fields of medicine and life sciences to protect research participants. Therefore, their utility in social research remains undetermined. Particularly, if the committee is not provided with sufficient resources or if its members do not include experts in social research, it may provide irrelevant evaluations or result in meaningless procedures. In such cases, researchers may wish to discuss research management matters with affiliated institutions, given that these Guidelines do not require ethical reviews.
In any case, researchers should ensure that the validity of their research plan is evaluated from a third-party perspective before conducting the study, regardless of whether their institution requires them to submit an ethics review.
Researchers should remain mindful of the following measures to protect research participants:
a. Providing an explanation to and seeking consent of the participants When collecting data and information directly from participants, regardless of the method used, researchers should, in principle, provide written or verbal explanations in advance and obtain consent. They should explain in advance: (a) the purpose of social research, (b) the name of the organization that provides the grant or commission (if applicable), (c) how the data and information will be compiled and how the results will be utilized, (d) the method of publication, and (e) the method and extent of management of the collected personal information. Specifically, participants must be provided with an understandable explanation of why they are being studied, how the collected information will be used, and how their personal information will be protected. Researchers must implement and explain specific safeguards for managing data and information. Depending on the nature of social research, researchers should consider obtaining written consent from the participants.
In some cases, such as when using existing data, obtaining consent from the individuals may be difficult. In such cases, researchers should ensure transparency in their social research after considering the potential disadvantages associated with publishing research results. Disclosing the purpose of data use in such situations may be effective.
b. Freedom to refuse to participate in social research,/br> While it is important for researchers to provide good-faith explanations to research participants to encourage their cooperation, they should also be informed that, as a general rule, they have the right to withdraw consent at any time. Researchers must remain aware that participants have the right to refuse participation.
c. Honest treatment of research participants,/br> Researchers should ensure that they do not conduct social research under any circumstances without genuine interest in or respect for the participants. In particular, if participants raise questions or criticism about the research, researchers should listen sincerely and make efforts to convince them. To protect their results, they must not respond defensively or in bad faith.
a. Consideration for research participants Researchers should carefully consider whether publishing their findings could cause significant or irreparable harm to participants. Social research is not limited to data collection and analysis; it encompasses the entire process, from planning to summarizing and publishing results. Participants have the right to know the research results, and researchers must ensure appropriate publication, thus fulfilling their social responsibility.
b. Prior permission for the publication of results If the content to be published might disadvantage the participants, the researchers should, as appropriate, present an outline, data, or manuscript to them in advance to obtain permission. If a participant expresses interest in knowing the research results, researchers should endeavor to inform them of the main points and provide a response in good faith so that they can access the published findings.
c. Awareness of potential implication on target populations or communities In research on specific populations or communities, researchers must carefully consider whether their objectives, content, or analytical descriptions negatively affect the participants. Throughout the research process, from planning to publication, researchers should carefully assess whether their work inadvertently creates or reinforces bias, discrimination, or stigma toward a particular group or community.
a. No fabrication or falsification Data obtained from social research must be handled fairly, and fabrication or falsification is strictly prohibited. Data fabrication can adversely affect the careers of responsible researchers. Moreover, it can breach the trust of research participants and collaborating researchers, distort subsequent research, and in some cases even lead to erroneous social judgments.
If data revision or editing is necessary, researchers must maintain a record of the process for potential disclosure. Any such modifications must be explicitly stated in the research report and brought to the reader’s attention.
b. Data management Data collected during research, including the participant list, must be appropriately managed both during and after the study. Researchers should carefully store and manage the collected questionnaires and electronic data to safeguard participants’ privacy and personal information. Appropriate data management is important for safeguarding participants’ privacy and personal information. It also plays a crucial role in ensuring the reliability of research by verifying the reproducibility and preventing fabrication or falsification.
a. Guidance on research ethics Faculty members should ensure that undergraduate and graduate students learn about research ethics before conducting social research. They must provide continuous guidance to ensure that the students adhere to ethical principles throughout the research process.
b. Ensuring standards of research practice The Social Researcher Certificate Program has been established, and certification courses are offered at various universities. However, the content and standards of “social research training courses” remain inconsistent. It is necessary to establish and maintain a standard of educational achievement in “social research training courses” so that students can engage in meaningful fieldwork, rather than merely visiting sites and passively listening to what people say.
When conducting social research, researchers must not accept any money or goods from the participants beyond what is reasonable. Conversely, they must refrain from offering extraordinary amounts of money or goods to participants. Therefore, researchers must carefully assess the expenses associated with data collection.
Many ethical issues surrounding statistical sample surveys, including the protection of participants’ privacy, are closely linked to the researchers’ fundamental knowledge of quantitative research. This includes survey methods, essential rules, detailed procedures, and statistical tests. Researchers conducting quantitative research must uphold a strong sense of morality and responsibility, supported by solid expertise.
Population sampling is crucial for statistical surveys. Conducting surveys using random sampling allows researchers to obtain samples that reflect society as a whole. However, a declining response rate has been observed recently, making it impossible to obtain highly representative data solely through random sampling. Therefore, researchers should consider strategies such as oversampling groups that are expected to have a low response rate or selecting alternative sample persons.
Conversely, surveys based on purposive sampling or online access panels managed by research companies do not always yield sufficiently representative samples. Nonetheless, they may be useful in quantitative research that focuses on participants with a low probability of appearance, such as hard-to-reach populations, or in testing for causality using experimental approaches. Researchers must carefully evaluate the advantages and limitations of each method before selecting the most appropriate one for their research objectives.
When conducting face-to-face interviews, researchers must remain vigilant about the possibility of participants providing false information in the survey questionnaires. They should ensure that interviewers have visited the participants’ dwellings genuinely. More importantly, it is essential to conduct a preliminary briefing to raise and maintain the interviewers’ moral awareness throughout the survey process. Building relationships of trust is particularly important when undergraduate and graduate students serve as interviewers.
Data collected from participants must not be leaked to any other party during the survey, data analysis, or after report preparation. Researchers must ensure proper data management and provide thorough guidance to interviewers to prevent information leakage. Furthermore, they should maintain questionnaires, individual numbers, and participant lists separately, so that third parties cannot match participant information using identification numbers.
Recently, the decline in response rates has become a major issue. Therefore, researchers must adopt effective strategies to increase response rates. Furthermore, it is essential to compare the distribution of variables in the collected sample datasets with that of the population to accurately identify any bias. Before conducting aggregation and analysis, researchers must check for data errors, including errors in data entry, coding, and logic, and make the necessary corrections.
Advancements in information technology have made it easier to calculate the aggregate results after entering the data. However, researchers must carefully consider the purpose of the analysis beforehand and appropriately analyze and publish their results. Depending on the study’s purpose, an appropriate approach may involve an exploratory analysis to examine variable distributions or associations. However, repeated analysis solely to identify “statistically significant” results can lead misleading results that were incidentally found to be robust. For a constructive discussion, researchers should clearly indicate whether the analysis was exploratory or conducted to confirm a hypothesis, ensuring transparency in the analytical process.
The principles discussed for quantitative research apply equally to qualitative research methods such as case studies. Researchers conducting qualitative research must also demonstrate high moral awareness and a strong sense of responsibility backed by solid expertise. Case studies often require detailed descriptions of the participants’ lives, thereby increasing the need to safeguard their privacy and ensure the reliability of their descriptions. Before conducting the study, the researchers must explain the purpose, methodology, and intended publication process to the participants and obtain their consent.
Fieldwork emphasizes engaging with the participants’ worlds, while temporarily setting aside the researcher’s identity. In such cases, concerns arise that “explaining research objectives in advance and obtaining consent” may disrupt the natural relationship with participants. If a method is employed where obtaining advance consent is difficult, as a general rule, researchers should, apologize to the participants for conducting the research, inform them of the research purpose, and obtain their consent before publishing the results. If obtaining consent after conducting research proves difficult, researchers should take measures to enhance the participants’ anonymity.
To protect participants’ anonymity, researchers should consider using pseudonyms for personal or community names to protect the anonymity of participants. However, even with pseudonyms, there is a risk that participants may still be identifiable. Conversely, some participants preferred using their real names. Researchers should engage in thorough discussions with participants regarding how they will be referenced in the manuscripts and obtain informed consent for the chosen approach.
Additionally, handling publicly available materials such as social media comments requires careful consideration, as publication could disadvantage individuals or raise copyright concerns. When discussing individual comments or similar content, researchers must assess the potential risks in advance.
Participants may experience harm or burden owing to the research content, interactions with researchers, or descriptions of the findings. If there are specific concerns about potential impacts (physical or psychological) on participants, researchers should consult relevant organizations and support groups before starting the study and carefully consider the necessary measures. During the research process, the researchers must clearly explain any possible effects to the participants and, if necessary, provide information on the available consultation services where they can seek support.
The following considerations when publishing research results will not only improve the quality of research, but also affect a researcher’s reputation.
When publishing results, researchers must respect the originality of other researchers and authors. They should take care not to infringe upon the copyright of other researchers. Fabricating data can result in “academic suicide,” potentially leading to serious academic consequences. Today, the ability to copy and paste electronic information from the Internet and other sources has made it easier than ever to reproduce existing content. In this media environment, it is more important than ever to stringently distinguish one’s original work from that of others and to explicitly cite external sources of information. Both undergraduate and graduate students must be instructed to adhere to these principles.
Members of the JSS should also refrain from claiming as original the ideas expressed by others during research group meetings. Specifically, when receiving comments that contribute to the development of an idea, proper acknowledgment should be provided by citing the research group. Furthermore, if a specific individual and date can be identified, they should be mentioned in a note or appendix, as follows:
“I received suggestion on this point from ××’s comment in ○○ research group (○/○/○○),” “This point came through a discussion with ×× in ○○ research group (○/○/○○),”
When writing an academic paper, researchers must consider and indicate previous research appropriately within their work. Demonstrating a clear understanding of existing research is essential to explicitly communicate the significance of the research question, originality of the study, and its academic contribution.
The failure to mention significant previous research may suggest a lack of scholarly preparation and an unfair attitude.
While it is natural to reference collaborators’ work, biased citations that disproportionately favor certain researchers should be avoided.
Citations for other works should only be obtained from published sources. Citations from unpublished materials, such as materials distributed at research meetings or private correspondence, should only be included with the explicit permission of the author.
Citations from published works do not require permission in accordance with the citation provisions in Article 32 of the Copyright Act. When citing, adhere to the following basic principles:
(a) ensure that the citation is essential; (b) keep citations to the minimum necessary; (c) clearly distinguish cited text from the original text; (d) in principle, cite the original text verbatim; and (e) explicitly indicate the source, including the author’s name, the title of the work, and page numbers.
The use of figures, photographs, paintings, lyrics, and other creative works does not constitute a citation in legal terms; rather, it is considered “use” of another’s work. In such cases, researchers must obtain permission from the copyright holder before using the figures, photographs, paintings, lyrics, and other materials.
When submitting a manuscript, the researchers must comply with the submission rules and manuscript preparation guidelines of the target journal. The JSS has established a “Sociological Society Style Guide,” which should be followed consistently. Some researchers, such as graduate students, may have limited experience with academic writing. They should seek feedback from advisors, senior colleagues, and peers regarding their manuscripts before submission. Many manuscripts contain errors such as misspellings, omissions, or unclear phrasing in Japanese, or inadequate content and notes. Submitting such manuscripts not only affects the credibility of the author but also places an unnecessary burden on the editorial board and reviewers.
Duplicate submission or concurrent submission of the same or substantially similar content to multiple journalsis prohibited. Only previously unpublished materials were submitted to academic journals. However, it is often difficult to distinguish between what has been published and what has not been published yet. Therefore, it is important to follow the guidelines of the target journals.
In addition, authors should refrain from artificially inflating their publication counts by fragmenting their ideas into smaller, redundant publications.
Peer review provides an opportunity to receive evaluation about a manuscript from independent experts, identify potential issues, and improve its quality. It also enhances public trust in academic activities by ensuring a mechanism to maintain certain scholarly publishing standards.
Therefore, if reviewers suggest corrections, they should respond in good faith. While reviewers may misunderstand a manuscript, it is crucial for authors to analyze why such misunderstandings arise and how the text can be improved to prevent them. If an author disagrees with the suggested corrections, they may present their rationale to the editorial board.
The authors hold two types of rights: copyright, which protects economic interests such as intellectual property rights, and moral rights, which safeguard personal interests. The authors must ensure the protection of their own rights, while respecting the rights of others. Recently, copyrights have been increasingly transferred to publishers upon publication. However, moral rights remain based solely on the author.
When reproducing one’s own work, such as in another book, journal, or website, authors must properly attribute copyright and obtain permission from the publisher or copyright holder.
Before starting a collaborative research project, or during its early stages, team members must thoroughly discuss and agree on the rules governing the project. In particular, the team must confirm and adhere to the agreed-upon rules regarding the division of roles, cooperation, and methods of presenting results, including timing, content, and presentation medium. These rules may be revised as the research progresses, but any changes must be sufficiently discussed.
Appropriate authorship must be ensured. Research teams should engage in thorough discussions on authorship, including those listed as authors, and the order in which they will appear. This is especially important in interdisciplinary research, where authorship conventions may vary significantly between fields. Clarifying how contributions to research findings will be acknowledged also helps define research responsibilities.
Even after the collaborative research has been concluded, the original data must be handled carefully. For example, data should only be shared or used with the consent of all core researchers.
Article 4 of the Code of Ethical Practice of the Japan Sociological Society stipulates “prohibition of discrimination.” It prohibits discriminatory treatment based on creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, origins, nationality, religion, ethnicity, race, genetic characteristics, disability, health condition, family status, or marital status. While publishing research results, members of the Japan Sociological Society should strive to eliminate any bias from their respective academic reports, papers, books, and other works that may lead to the perpetuation of discrimination and social exclusion based on the aforementioned attributes, as well as other attributes and circumstances. They should give due consideration to the responsibility that sociology bears toward the society it studies and carefully revise and review their manuscript before publication.
Identifying the words, expressions, and sentences that include biases is a context-dependent issue that is difficult to determine equally. Nevertheless, words and expressions that have a history of being used to insult, discriminate, negatively represent, indirectly exclude, or inappropriately emphasize specific attributes or circumstances should not be used in general, unless the specific reason for using them is clearly stated. Moreover, if a researcher makes claims about specific attributes or circumstances without clear evidence, or if they make assertions based on reports or research without carefully examining reliability, their writing may become biased. When discussing attributes or circumstances related to discrimination or social exclusion, they should specifically focus on this principle of academic writing: properly justifying the claims.
An increasing number of researchers have been securing external funding, such as research grants, to conduct sociological research. The management of these funds requires careful and transparent handling. Researchers should not accept funds that could compromise the fairness of their research or conflict with principles of social justice. Likewise, funding sources that cannot be disclosed to the research participants should be avoided.
Research funds should be used exclusively for expenses necessary to conduct the research. Detailed records of expenditures should be maintained and receipts and other supporting documents should be preserved to ensure accountability.
Secret and fraudulent funds should not be used as research subsidies. Researchers receiving a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research should refer to the Handbook for the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (For Researchers) issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. For other grants, researchers must comply with the regulations of funding organizations and manage funds appropriately.
If external funding, such as grants from private companies, is used in a research project, it must be explicitly disclosed when publishing the findings so that the relevance and integrity of the research can be properly assessed. Furthermore, if a relevant academic society or journal has established procedures for handling conflicts of interest, these should be followed accordingly.
When conducting commissioned research, a formal contract should be established in advance between the researcher and the commissioning entity. This contract should clearly define fees, data ownership, publication methods, and other key terms to ensure a mutual agreement between the parties. Furthermore, the independence of the commissioned researcher must be protected as much as possible, particularly regarding the handling of research data and records, as well as the content of research reports.
Sexual harassment and academic bullying are fundamental human rights issues in the fields of education and research. It is essential to ensure that laboratories, affiliated institutions, and academic societies remain harassment-free and open to education and research.
Unbalanced power dynamics often result in harassment. Those in teaching positions must remain aware of the power imbalance between educators and students and conduct themselves professionally. Even when graduate students assume teaching roles as senior members, they should recognize their potential influence and the pressure they may exert, even unintentionally. Even if a student is a beginner, educators should not impose their ideas.
Furthermore, advisors who fail to respond to students’ requests for guidance, do not provide sufficient research supervision for extended periods, or frequently change the contents of their guidance, leaving students at their mercy and resulting in students not being able to receive their degree, can also cause serious damage to their lives.
As the environment surrounding universities and research evolves, differences in gender, generation, cultural background, and experience can shape varying perceptions of “common sense” in teaching methods and communication styles. Even casual remarks and behaviors from faculty members may hurt undergraduate and graduate students and be perceived as harassment. Faculty members must be mindful of their approaches when instructing students.
Those who experience harassment should not endure it alone. It is important to seek support from colleagues, mentors, or relevant organizations.
If possible, inform the perpetrator that their behavior constitutes harassment and is unacceptable to discourage further misconduct. In addition, it is essential to ensure that victims are not isolated. Speaking up and encouraging others to support the victim can help prevent ostracization.
To avoid causing secondary harm, do not pry into whether the victim was at fault, blame them, force them to file a complaint against their will, or spread rumors.
The JSS has established the Ethics Committee to serve as a point of contact for consultation regarding ethical issues. If a JSS member experiences harassment within JSS-related activities such as at an academic conference or during the publication of a journal article, affected individuals may consult the Ethics Committee by submitting a letter containing the required details to the JSS Secretariat (Please contact the Secretariat of the JSS for the required submission details).
Upon receipt of such consultation requests, the Ethics Committee will discuss with the Board of JSS and relevant committees to determine the appropriate course of action, while respecting the privacy of the individuals involved and considering the wishes of the complainant.
All members, including faculty, researchers, and graduate students, are encouraged to actively participate in JSS activities. Matters related to the JSS, such as academic journal contributions, conference participation and presentations, and officer elections, are published in the newsletter and on the JSS website. Members should refer to these sources for further information.
Before submitting a manuscript or conference presentation, researchers can improve their work by peer-reviewing fellow researchers and by receiving guidance from advisors. Additionally, last-minute cancellations of conference presentations should be avoided as they reflect irresponsibility and inadequate research planning.
When conducting peer reviews or providing feedback on conference presentations, reviewers should ensure that their comments are constructive and aim to enhance the author’s or presenter’s research. Comments should not focus solely on the reviewer’s theories or take the form of a personal attack. Furthermore, the peer review process should be conducted fairly and impartially, regardless of the personal relationships with the contributor.
If the reviewer has a direct conflict of interest that prevents them from providing an unbiased evaluation, they should decline the review. Once a manuscript has been accepted for peer review, reviewers must adhere to the deadline and maintain confidentiality during the review process. In addition, they must not plagiarize ideas from the papers they have reviewed.
Serving as a board or committee member in JSS activities may grant access to confidential information. Members must not disclose any confidential information obtained through their roles to third parties. This obligation remains in effect even after the completion of the tenure in such positions.
Researchers have been increasingly expected to engage with society and provide opportunities to contribute as researchers and experts in various fields, such as government agencies, industry, mass media, civic movements, and non-profit organizations. When speaking publicly as a sociological researcher, it is essential to consider whether research findings can withstand academic scrutiny. Additionally, researchers must be prepared to respond sincerely to criticisms regarding the validity of facts and interpretations.
Information dissemination has accelerated with the rise of social media. However, given the limited context and nuances conveyed through broadly accessible platforms, researchers should exercise caution when posting content that could undermine the public trust in sociologists. Publishing defamatory remarks about specific individuals may lead to legal liability, which should be strictly avoided.
(1) These Guidelines will come into effect on October 25, 2025. (2) Any amendments or revisions to these Guidelines are subject to deliberation by the JSS Board of Directors.
