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Open Access provides free online access to research outputs, such as academic papers, for everyone. It is commonly abbreviated as “OA.”
Broadly speaking, it refers to unrestricted access to all kinds of digital content, but when speaking of Open Access in the context of research outputs, it refers to a state in which academic papers and research data are freely available without having to pay subscription contracts or the like. Furthermore, the concept of Open Science, which refers to a state where scientific knowledge is freely available to everyone based on Open Access and digital technologies. It is a broader term including Open Access.
Open Access and Open Science have become a recent global trend. UNESCO member states adopted the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science in 2021, and G7 member states advocated for promoting Open Science in the G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Communiqué in 2023.
Waseda University adopted the Waseda University Open Access Policy on December 6, 2024, indicating its position toward open access as a university. Please see the page below for the Waseda University Open Access Policy.

Waseda University Open Access Policy

There are various ways to make research outputs open access, and the method depends on where you make it public. Two main ways are: “Green Open Access (Green OA)” which involves depositing in public platforms called “repositories” and “Gold Open Access (Gold OA)” which involves publishing on publishers’ websites and similar platforms.

Green Open Access (Green OA)

Green open access (Green OA) refers to the author making research outputs such as academic papers freely available to the public in repositories. This method is also known as self-archiving. Repositories include “institutional repositories” managed by institutions to which researchers belong, “subject repositories” that are widely recognized in specific research areas, and “general-purpose repositories” that are not limited to any particular research field.
Waseda University provides the “Waseda University Repository” as an institutional repository, which can be used as a public platform for Green Open Access to researchers within the university. For detailed instructions on how to use Green Open Access, please see below.

Publishing Papers in Institutional Repositories (Green OA)

Gold Open Access (Gold OA)

Gold Open Access (Gold OA) refers to making research outputs such as academic papers freely available to the public on websites managed by publishers. In most cases, publishers charge an Article Processing Charge (APC) for each paper. Academic journals offering Gold Open Access are typically classified into two types:

Full OA Journals

All papers are published as open access in this open access journal. An APC is charged for each paper, but subscription fees will not be charged.

Hybrid Journal

In these journals, Open Access is available only for papers for which an APC has been charged. While subscription fees are required for the journal itself, some journals offer institutional agreements that combine subscription fees and APC, which are called “transformative agreements.” A popular form of transformative agreements is the Read & Publish agreement. When the subscribing institution contracts the transformative agreement to promote Open Access, the authors’ burden for APC may be reduced.

Please see below for details on the support for Gold Open Access at Waseda University.

Publishing Papers in Academic Journals (Gold OA)

Waseda University has adopted the Waseda University Open Access Policy with the aim of contributing to the advancement of academic research and the development of a prosperous human society by widely disseminating the research outputs produced at our university, both within the institution and beyond.

• Waseda University Open Access Policy
  （Established on Dec.6, 2024）
• Waseda University Open Access Policy Implementation Guidelines
  （Established on Dec. 6, 2024）

For recipients of certain competitive research funds newly solicited from fiscal year 2025 onwards as part of public funding, it is mandated to immediately deposit competitively funded peer-reviewed academic papers (peer-reviewed research papers published in electronic journals, including the author’s accepted manuscript) and evidence data are required to be published in institutional repositories or other information infrastructure platforms immediately after their publication in academic journals.

Related links

• National Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data
  (Feb. 16, 2024）
• Measures for the Implementation of “National Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data” (decided by the Integrated Innovation Strategy Promotion Council on February 16, 2024)
• FAQ on the Basic Policy for Achieving Immediate Open Access of Scholarly Articles and Other Research Outputs and the Specific Measures for implementing the “Basic Policy for Achieving Immediate Open Access of Scholarly Articles and Other Research Outputs

Background of Open Access

The background of Open Access (OA) is shaped by various factors, with two major influences being the price hikes caused by oligopoly in the academic journal market and the transformation of information distribution through the internet. The rise in journal prices forced institutions worldwide to reduce the number of journal subscriptions, leading to a vicious cycle of further price increases. This phenomenon is known as the Serials Crisis. In response, research institutions and funding agencies across countries began collaborating to address this issue, including negotiating journal prices.^[1]This effort spurred discussions about restructuring academic information distribution using electronic media. In 2002, the Budapest Open Access Initiative introduced the world’s first definition of Open Access. The following year, the Bethesda Statement on Open Access Publishing was released in the United States, alongside the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities in Europe. These developments significantly accelerated the OA movement, particularly in Europe and the United States.

The Development of Green OA and Gold OA

Budapest Open Access Initiative proposed two specific methods for achieving Open Access. Researchers either self-archive their research outputs in open areas on the internet (Green OA), or choose to publish in Open Access journals (Gold OA).
Thereafter, research institutions across the world established institutional repositories as a foundation for Green OA. In addition to institutional repositories, subject-specific repositories and preprint servers for different disciplinary fields were also made public. In Japan, the establishment of institutional repositories at universities was facilitated by a project initiated by the National Institute of Informatics in FY 2005. Waseda University also launched its institutional repository, Waseda University Repository, in 2005.
Regarding Gold OA, the trend of launching new OA journals and converting subscription-based journals to OA still continues.^[2]Meanwhile, existing subscription-based journals have begun offering authors OA options for individual articles. These are called hybrid journals and are distinct from full OA journals. Whether in full OA or hybrid journals, the key characteristic of Gold OA is that an Article Processing Charge (APC) is required for each article to be published open access.

Transformative Agreements and OA2020

Hybrid journals charge subscription fees while also collecting Article Processing Charges (APCs). As APC payments increased, publishers’ double-dipping practices became controversial. Additionally, the transition to full Open Access journals remains a challenge.
In response to these issues, publishers began proposing ways to integrate subscription fees and APCs, encouraging institutions to adopt agreements aimed at transitioning to OA journals in the future. This is called a “transformative agreement,” and the typical agreement is the Read & Publish agreement. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to convert journals to full OA by having governments or research organizations cover APCs for certain journals.^[3]
In 2016, the international initiative “OA2020” was established to transition subscription journals to OA. In Japan, the Japan Alliance of University Library Consortia for E-Resources (JUSTICE) signed an Expression of Interest (EoI) and developed an OA2020 roadmap.

Open Access Mandates by Research Funding Organizations

In Europe, cOAlition S was established in 2018 by 11 research funding organizations, launching “Plan S” which mandates full and immediate Open Access to research outputs funded by participating institutions. In the United States, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has required public access to funded research since 2008. In 2022, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced a policy (Nelson Memo) mandating immediate Open Access to research outputs and supporting data from federally funded research, requiring research institutions to comply with the policy by the end of 2025. In Japan, the Integrated Innovation Strategy 2023, approved by the Cabinet in 2023, explicitly states “to promote immediate open access to publicly funded scholarly publications and scientific data underlying the publications for new applications starting FY2025 of the competitive research funds.” Subsequently, in 2024, the “Basic Policy for Achieving Immediate Open Access of Scholarly Articles and Other Research Outputs” was announced.

Open Science and the International Statement

Just as Open Access was being promoted, efforts to advance data openness also progressed, primarily in Europe and the United States. At the G8 Summit held in 2013, the G8 Open Data Charter was adopted, committing to making government data publicly available. Additionally, at the G8 Science Ministers’ Meeting, a statement was adopted to ensure the openness of research data.^[4]
Along with this trend, Open Access has come to be considered part of “Open Science,” which includes the sharing and distribution of research data. UNESCO member states adopted the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science at the General Conference in 2021. Among G7 member countries, the joint statement following the G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Meeting held in Sendai in May 2023 emphasized “Respect for freedom and inclusiveness in scientific research and promotion of open science.”

The benefits for researchers of open access for academic papers are as follows:

• By making academic papers freely accessible to anyone, without subscription barriers, more researchers can access the content.
• The visibility of research outputs is expected to increase, leading to higher citation rates and enhancing the global impact of the research.
• Research knowledge can be shared not only with researchers from other fields, but also with non-researchers, such as policymakers, businesses, and the general public, thereby strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and social impact.
• Publishing research outputs and data facilitates the verification of results and the conduct of related research by other researchers.
• Increasingly, research funding agencies are mandating open access publication of results, allowing researchers to meet funding requirements.
• By providing publicly funded research outputs free of charge, researchers contribute their findings to society and help broaden public understanding and support for research.