#Japan #Tokyo #open access #MDPI #IOAP

MDPI Japan's Institutional Open Access Program Reaches Major Milestone

MDPI Japan, headquartered in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, has announced that as of April 1, 2026, the number of institutions registered under its Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) has reached 50 universities and research institutions across Japan. This program is designed to provide substantial discounts on article processing charges (APC) to researchers, which is increasingly crucial given the rising costs associated with publishing in open access journals, especially amidst currency fluctuations like the recent yen depreciation.

What is the Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP)?

The IOAP is an initiative that allows researchers affiliated with participating universities and research institutions to benefit from discounts on APCs when publishing in MDPI journals. All journals under the MDPI umbrella are eligible for this program. In cases where the authors opt to pay the fees themselves, the invoice is issued directly to them.

Main Features of IOAP

• - APC Discounts: If a paper is accepted for publication and includes authors from participating institutions (either the lead or co-authors), a 10% reduction in APC applies.
• - Cumulative Discounts: This discount can be combined with other offers, such as peer review vouchers, providing even greater savings for authors.
• - Automatic Application: The discount is automatically applied, meaning researchers do not need to go through additional approval processes, thus preventing any new financial burdens on institutions.
• - Monitoring Dashboard: A system is in place to allow institutions to track the submission and acceptance status of their researchers’ works.
• - Institutional Repository Integration: Institutions can opt to integrate their repositories with the SWORD 1.3 protocol, enabling automatic submissions of accepted papers’ PDFs and metadata.
• - Related Service Discounts: Additional discounts are available for MDPI Books (10% off publication fees) and English editing services (15% off).

Insights from MDPI Leadership

Izumi Yamamoto, Office Manager of MDPI Japan, commented, "We are thrilled to reach 50 registered institutions under the IOAP. This program is designed to minimize costs and procedures for institutions, allowing researchers to avail of APC discounts easily. We remain committed to fostering an environment where the Japanese research community can efficiently disseminate essential findings."

Global Expansion of IOAP

The IOAP has seen global expansion as well, with over 1,000 registered institutions worldwide by February 2026. This program is now present in 59 countries, encompassing regions across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Notable institutions like MIT, Imperial College London, the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and the University of Cambridge have joined the initiative.

In addition to individual universities, MDPI has also partnered with consortium agreements, as seen in Germany where over 100 institutions participated through a consortium contract with the Central Library of Medicine (ZB MED). Similarly, in Sweden, an expansion of existing consortium agreements has welcomed 75 additional institutions.

About MDPI

Established in 1996 in Basel, Switzerland, MDPI is an academic publisher that specializes in peer-reviewed open access journals. As of February 2026, MDPI publishes 497 peer-reviewed journals and will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026.

MDPI Japan's Commitment

To support Japanese researchers, MDPI opened its Tokyo office in Nihonbashi in 2019. The organization actively collaborates with the Japanese research community, with contributions from 13 editors and over 2,100 editorial board members dedicated to MDPI journals.

For further information regarding MDPI Japan, please visit MDPI Japan.

Contact Information

MDPI Japan
Address: 1-5-12 Bakurochō, Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-0002, Japan.
Public Relations: Sato
Phone: 03-5829-3835
Email: [email protected]