Japan adopts France’s Open Science Monitor model
Japan launches today its Open Science Monitor inspired by the French model, to measure the adoption of open science practices in Japan. The result of a fruitful Franco-Japanese collaboration, this initiative confirms France’s leadership in this field.
Developed alongside the first National Plan for Open Science in 2018, the French Open Science Monitor (BSO) is used to assess the impact of open science policies in France, refine strategies, and better understand scientific practices. Based on an innovative methodology, this tool marked a turning point in open science policy. Beyond open access to publications—a classic dimension of open science—the Monitor provides indicators on the sharing of clinical trial results, research data, source codes and research software, and the openness of theses. It also tracks the adoption of open science policies by institutions. Finally, it allows each institution to implement its own local monitor.
The implementation of the French Open Science Monitor model in Japan was made possible thanks to a successful collaboration between the two countries. In line with open science principles, the French BSO team shared its methodology, code, data, and interfaces under a license that allows reuse. When Japan decided to create its own Monitor, it chose to draw directly from the French model and build on its technological and methodological foundation. Regular exchanges between the two countries enabled the transfer of technology and expertise from France to Japan.
Japan’s launch of its Open Science Monitor encourages other countries to do the same.
“By adopting the framework of the internationally recognized French Open Science Monitor and using open data, the Japanese Open Science Monitor provides reliable and verifiable indicators for all. This allows us to understand the current state of Japanese research activities in a format that enables international comparisons, thereby promoting evidence-based research policy,” said Mikiko TANIFUJI, Director of the Research Center for Open Science and Data Platforms at Japan’s National Institute of Informatics (NII).
The French Open Science Monitor continues to be supported by France as an international reference in open science. This tool will be further improved with annual updates and the introduction of new dimensions to monitor, drawing on methodologies from artificial intelligence.
The Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Space thanks its Japanese counterparts for their collaboration and commitment to open science. This cooperation highlights the importance of sharing knowledge on an international scale.
To learn more :
- The news published on the MESRE website (in French): https://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/fr/le-japon-cree-son-barometre-de-la-science-ouverte-inspire-du-modele-francais-100864
- The news publisged on the Japan’s National Institute of Informatics (NII) website : https://www.nii.ac.jp/en/news/release/2026/0303.html
- Japanese Open Science Monitor: https://osm.nii.ac.jp/
- The French Open Science Monitor: https://frenchopensciencemonitor.esr.gouv.fr/
- Blog post on the latest update of the French Open Science Monitor: https://www.ouvrirlascience.fr/the-2025-french-open-science-monitor-significant-progress-in-the-communication-of-clinical-trial-results/
