Code of Ethics

Code of Ethics for the Intercultural Education Society of Japan

The Intercultural Education Society of Japan (IESJ) is expected to address various educational issues arising from diverse intercultural contact as subjects for study and to contribute to society by promoting research on the issues. Therefore, in order to conform to these expectations, each member of the IESJ (hereinafter referred to as “Member”) shall be aware of various changes in social conditions and develop their own specialised skills with a sense of responsibility for their own conduct. In addition, the IESJ is required to respect fundamental human rights, to fulfill its social responsibilities as an academic society, and to enhance the adequacy and fairness of research conducted by Members. To implement the foregoing, the IESJ hereby establishes the following Code of Ethics.

This Code is a code of ethics that each Member should endeavour to comply with. When conducting research activities, educational activities, and practicing activities of intercultural education, each Member is required to contribute to supporting the sound development of subjects of such activities and to the development of education research with self-awareness as a Member and a sense of responsibility.

In consideration of the foregoing, the IESJ hereby establishes the Code of Ethics as follows.

1. Respect for Fundamental Human Rights

A Member shall respect the fundamental human rights and human dignity of each and every person and shall endeavour not to infringe on the rights of subjects of research and any organisation/group or individual involved in relevant activities.

2. Responsibilities That Come with Conducting Research

A Member shall, in conducting research, have a willingness to contribute to the development of intercultural education. A Member shall always have a respectful attitude toward subjects of research and shall endeavour to interpret facts unbiasedly and fairly, and to provide factual proof. In addition, a Member shall have responsibility for research results. A Member shall, in spending public research funding (including research funding provided by research institutions or academic societies and research funding provided as Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research), properly manage the funding and endeavour to prevent unfair acts.

3. Responsibilities That Come with Releasing Research Results

 A Member shall, in releasing research results, note the following matters, comply with ethics regulations established by research institutions or other organisations to which the Member belongs and be aware of their social responsibility as a researcher.

  • A Member shall not commit acts that would infringe upon the privacy of subjects of research or other related persons, or violate social norms.
  • A Member shall not plagiarise or steal research results, falsify or fabricate data, or commit acts that would infringe copyrights.
  • A Member shall not submit a duplicate submission.
  • In cases of collaborative research, a Member shall obtain consent from co-researchers and give due consideration to co-researchers’ rights and responsibilities.

4. Accountability to Informants/Subjects of Research and Respect for Their Human Rights

A Member shall be accountable to informants/subjects of research for purposes and methods of research, and for releasing research results. A Member shall also respect the human rights of informants/subjects of research and take care to maintain confidentiality of information, including their personal information, and shall not defame them or inflict physical or psychological distress on them.

5. Confidentiality and Information Management

A Member shall stringently and appropriately manage information obtained in connection with research activities, educational activities, etc. and shall not use such information for other purposes by going beyond the bounds of social norms. In addition, with respect to information related to privacy, a Member shall comply with relevant legal norms.

Established on December 10, 2016.