Number of Registered Institutions in MDPI's Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) Reaches 50 in Japan
MDPI Japan has announced that 50 universities and research institutions in Japan have joined its IOAP, which offers APC discounts to promote open access publishing amidst rising research costs.
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- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 23:00
MDPI Japan (Chuo-ku, Tokyo) is pleased to announce that the number of registered institutions in Japan for the Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP), a discount program for Article Processing Charges (APC) for universities and research institutions, reached 50 as of April 1, 2026.
While the promotion of open access is increasingly demanded, researchers are facing a growing cost burden due to the weakening yen and rising APCs, making cost reduction a critical challenge. Since the IOAP can be implemented without financial burden or additional administrative work for the institutions, an increasing number of universities and research institutes are considering its adoption to promote open access publishing.
## What is the Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP)?
IOAP is a program that allows researchers affiliated with participating universities and research institutions to receive an APC discount when publishing papers in MDPI journals. All MDPI journals are eligible. In the case of author-payment, invoices are issued directly to the authors.
## Key Features of IOAP
- Authors (corresponding or co-authors) affiliated with participating institutions receive a 10% discount on APCs for papers accepted in MDPI journals.
- The discount can be combined with other discounts (e.g., reviewer vouchers).
- Discounts are applied automatically, eliminating the need for sequential approval tasks by university library staff. It can be introduced without incurring new costs for the institution.
- A dashboard is provided for institutions to track the submission and acceptance status of their affiliated researchers.
- Institutional Repository Integration (Optional): Automatic deposit of accepted paper PDFs and metadata into institutional repositories is possible using the SWORD 1.3 protocol.
- Related Service Discounts: A 10% discount on Book Processing Charges (BPC) for MDPI Books and a 15% discount on English editing services are available.
## Comment from MDPI Japan Representative
Izumi Yamamoto, Office Manager of MDPI Japan, stated:
"We are delighted that the number of domestic registered institutions for IOAP has reached 50. IOAP is a mechanism that allows researchers to receive APC discounts without financial burden or additional procedures for the institution. We will continue to support an environment where the Japanese research community can rapidly disseminate necessary research results."
## Global Expansion of IOAP
The adoption of IOAP is expanding worldwide, with over 1,000 registered institutions globally as of February 2026. The program spans 59 countries, covering the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Highly acclaimed universities such as MIT, Imperial College London, Oxford University, Harvard University, and Cambridge University are also participants.
In addition to individual institutions, agreements are also made with consortia. In Germany, over 100 institutions participate through a consortium agreement with the German National Library of Medicine (ZB MED). In Sweden, 75 institutions joined through the expansion of an existing consortium agreement.
## About MDPI
MDPI is an academic publisher founded in 1996 in Basel, Switzerland, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026. MDPI specializes in peer-reviewed open access journals and published 497 peer-reviewed journals as of February 2026.
## About MDPI Japan
In 2019, MDPI opened its Tokyo Office in Nihonbashi to support Japanese researchers. MDPI continues to collaborate with the Japanese research community, with 13 Editors-in-Chief and over 2,100 Editorial Board members from Japan contributing to MDPI journals.
[Reference Articles]
- Over 1,000 institutions worldwide partner with MDPI in open access
- Global Open Access (OA) policies and the trend toward mandated OA
- The worldwide spread of MDPI's Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP)
[Contact Information]
MDPI Japan: https://japan.mdpi.com/
Address: 2F CIRCLES Nihonbashi-Bakurocho, 1-5-12 Nihonbashi-Bakurocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0002
Public Relations: Sato
Tel: 03-5829-3835 | Email: [email protected]
While the promotion of open access is increasingly demanded, researchers are facing a growing cost burden due to the weakening yen and rising APCs, making cost reduction a critical challenge. Since the IOAP can be implemented without financial burden or additional administrative work for the institutions, an increasing number of universities and research institutes are considering its adoption to promote open access publishing.
## What is the Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP)?
IOAP is a program that allows researchers affiliated with participating universities and research institutions to receive an APC discount when publishing papers in MDPI journals. All MDPI journals are eligible. In the case of author-payment, invoices are issued directly to the authors.
## Key Features of IOAP
- Authors (corresponding or co-authors) affiliated with participating institutions receive a 10% discount on APCs for papers accepted in MDPI journals.
- The discount can be combined with other discounts (e.g., reviewer vouchers).
- Discounts are applied automatically, eliminating the need for sequential approval tasks by university library staff. It can be introduced without incurring new costs for the institution.
- A dashboard is provided for institutions to track the submission and acceptance status of their affiliated researchers.
- Institutional Repository Integration (Optional): Automatic deposit of accepted paper PDFs and metadata into institutional repositories is possible using the SWORD 1.3 protocol.
- Related Service Discounts: A 10% discount on Book Processing Charges (BPC) for MDPI Books and a 15% discount on English editing services are available.
## Comment from MDPI Japan Representative
Izumi Yamamoto, Office Manager of MDPI Japan, stated:
"We are delighted that the number of domestic registered institutions for IOAP has reached 50. IOAP is a mechanism that allows researchers to receive APC discounts without financial burden or additional procedures for the institution. We will continue to support an environment where the Japanese research community can rapidly disseminate necessary research results."
## Global Expansion of IOAP
The adoption of IOAP is expanding worldwide, with over 1,000 registered institutions globally as of February 2026. The program spans 59 countries, covering the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Highly acclaimed universities such as MIT, Imperial College London, Oxford University, Harvard University, and Cambridge University are also participants.
In addition to individual institutions, agreements are also made with consortia. In Germany, over 100 institutions participate through a consortium agreement with the German National Library of Medicine (ZB MED). In Sweden, 75 institutions joined through the expansion of an existing consortium agreement.
## About MDPI
MDPI is an academic publisher founded in 1996 in Basel, Switzerland, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026. MDPI specializes in peer-reviewed open access journals and published 497 peer-reviewed journals as of February 2026.
## About MDPI Japan
In 2019, MDPI opened its Tokyo Office in Nihonbashi to support Japanese researchers. MDPI continues to collaborate with the Japanese research community, with 13 Editors-in-Chief and over 2,100 Editorial Board members from Japan contributing to MDPI journals.
[Reference Articles]
- Over 1,000 institutions worldwide partner with MDPI in open access
- Global Open Access (OA) policies and the trend toward mandated OA
- The worldwide spread of MDPI's Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP)
[Contact Information]
MDPI Japan: https://japan.mdpi.com/
Address: 2F CIRCLES Nihonbashi-Bakurocho, 1-5-12 Nihonbashi-Bakurocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0002
Public Relations: Sato
Tel: 03-5829-3835 | Email: [email protected]
FAQ
Is there a cost for institutions to join IOAP?
Depending on the participation type, it can be implemented without any cost to the institution. The primary benefit is the APC discount for researchers.
Is the discount applied automatically?
Yes. If an author from a participating institution is included, a 10% discount is automatically applied, eliminating the need for administrative approval.
Can IOAP discounts be combined with other offers?
Yes, IOAP discounts can be combined with other incentives, such as reviewer vouchers.