Editorial
Committee Regulations for South Asian
Affairs
(Enforcement Date: December 1, 2025)
Article 1 (Purpose)
Article 2 (Jurisdiction)
The Committee shall be responsible for the following
matters:
1. Formulation of the editorial policy for the
Journal.
2. Receipt, peer review, and publication decisions
for submitted manuscripts.
3. Selection and management of reviewers, including
at least one external reviewer.
4. Enactment and revision of the Internal Code of
Ethics, Internal Regulations on Copyright,
Instructions for Authors, Review Regulations, and
Guidelines for Manuscript Preparation.
5. Publication preparation, proofreading, and
electronic publication, including J-STAGE
registration.
6. Investigation and response to ethical concerns
regarding manuscripts, including the option to
establish a review committee with external experts.
7. Conclusion and management of MoUs with domestic
and international institutions regarding academic
collaboration and submissions.
8. Ensuring and improving the academic quality of
the Journal.
9. Maintenance and bilingual publication
(Japanese/English) of all relevant regulations,
codes, and guidelines.
Article 3 (Composition of Committee Members)
The Committee shall consist of:
- Chairperson (1)
- Vice Chairperson (1, selected from among the
members)
- Editorial Committee Members (several)
- External Committee Members (a few specialists)
The Chairperson and Committee Members shall be
appointed by the Director of the Center.
External Members shall be appointed from academic
professionals, including retired researchers,
affiliated with domestic or international
universities or research institutions.
The Vice Chairperson shall assist and act on behalf
of the Chairperson when necessary, and shall oversee
practical tasks such as documentation, liaison with
university offices, and meeting minutes.
Article 4 (Term)
The term of office shall be two years. Reappointment
is permitted.
Replacements shall serve the remainder of the
predecessor’s term.
Article 5 (Duties of the Chairperson)
The Chairperson shall oversee the editorial policy
and represent the Committee.
If the Chairperson is unable to serve, the Vice
Chairperson or a designated member shall assume
responsibilities.
Article 6 (Meetings)
The Chairperson shall convene the Committee at least
once a year. Emergency meetings may be called as
needed.
A quorum is a majority of members, and decisions
require a majority vote of attendees.
Article 7 (Confidentiality and Duty of Care)
Members must not disclose information obtained
through editing or review, even after their term.
Members must perform their duties with due care.
The Committee shall not disclose personal or
unpublished information unless legally obligated.
Article 8 (Revisions)
These regulations may be revised by the Committee
and approved by the Director of the Center.
Supplementary Provisions
These regulations take effect on December 1, 2025.
These regulations define the organization and
operation of the Editorial Committee (hereinafter
“the Committee”) established to perform editorial
and publication duties for the journal *South Asian
Affairs* (hereinafter “the Journal”) published
by the Center for South Asian Studies, Gifu Women’s
University (hereinafter “the Center”).
--- Internal Code of Ethics for South Asian
Affairs
(Enforcement Date: December 1, 2025)
Article 1 (Purpose)Gakuen School Corporation.
Article 2 (Scope)
Applies to:
- All authors submitting to the Journal
- All reviewers (internal/external)
- Editorial Committee members and administrative
staff
Article 3 (Author Ethics)
Authors must not:
- Fabricate or falsify data.
- Plagiarize or submit duplicate work.
- Include inappropriate authors or exclude
contributors.
- Violate privacy or human rights.
- Conceal misconduct or obstruct investigations.
- Commit other serious ethical violations.
Article 4 (Reviewer Ethics)
Reviewers must:
- Maintain confidentiality and not use information
for other purposes.
- Be impartial and disclose any conflicts of
interest.
- Follow the ethics rules of the Center and the
University.
Article 5 (Committee Ethics)
The Committee shall:
- Maintain confidentiality and make fair decisions.
- Include at least one external reviewer.
- Investigate and act on suspected misconduct.
Article 6 (Responses to Violations)
Violations may result in:
- Rejection or retraction of publication.
- Notification to the author’s institution.
- Suspension of future submissions.
Article 7 (Dissemination and Consent)
This code will be publicly distributed in Japanese
and English.
Consent is assumed upon submission (authors) or
reviewer acceptance (reviewers).
Article 8 (Revisions)
Revisions require Committee approval and the
Director’s authorization.
Supplementary Provisions
This code takes effect on December 1, 2025.
This code defines research and publishing ethics for
all individuals involved in the Journal *South Asian
Affairs*, ensuring academic integrity and
social responsibility. All parties must also follow
the ethical standards of Gifu Women’s University and
the Kayo
-- Internal Regulations on Copyright and
Secondary Use for South Asian Affairs
(Enforcement Date: December 1, 2025)
Article 1 (Purpose)
Article 2 (Attribution of Copyright)
Authors retain copyright.
The Center receives a non-exclusive, royalty-free
right to publish in print or electronic form.
Article 3 (Scope of Center’s Rights)
The Center may:
1. Print and distribute the Journal (including PDFs)
2. Digitize and publish online (e.g., J-STAGE,
repositories)
3. Archive the Journal
4. Evaluate third-party reuse requests
5. Distribute via J-STAGE for academic access
Article 4 (Secondary Use by Authors)
Authors may reuse their own works if they
acknowledge first publication in the Journal.
Substantial revisions, translations, or reposting
require prior approval.
Article 5 (Use of Third-Party Works)
Authors must obtain permission for any third-party
material and clearly state sources.
Unauthorized use may lead to rejection or
correction.
Article 6 (Prohibited Uses)
No commercial use or discrediting of the Journal
without mutual consent.
Article 7 (Liability)
The Center and University are not responsible for
article content; authors bear all responsibility.
Article 8 (Relation to Other Rules)
Established under the Editorial Committee
Regulations and aligned with university IP rules.
Article 9 (Revisions)
Revisions must be approved by the Committee and
Director.
Supplementary Provisions
These regulations take effect on December 1, 2025.
These regulations clarify copyright handling and
secondary use policy for works published in *South Asian
Affairs*, guaranteeing proper dissemination
and reuse.
== Instructions for Authors for South Asian
Affairs
(Enforcement Date: December 1, 2025)
Article 1 (Purpose)
Article 2 (Eligibility for Submission)
Submissions are open to those conducting academic or
practical work related to South Asia. Co-authored
submissions require approval from all contributors.
Article 3 (Types of Manuscripts)
1. Research Papers (peer-reviewed)
2. Research Notes (peer-reviewed)
3. Book Reviews, Translations, Material
Introductions (editorial discretion)
Article 4 (Language and Word Count)
Manuscripts may be in Japanese or English. Japanese:
~24,000 characters; English: ~7,000 words.
Article 5 (Formatting)
Submit in Word format (A4, horizontal). English
manuscripts must follow *The Chicago Manual of
Style*. Captions must be included for
figures/tables/photos.
Article 6 (Peer Review)
Double-blind review for Research Papers and Notes.
Final decision rests with the Editorial Committee.
Article 7 (Copyright)
Authors retain copyright but grant a non-exclusive
right to the Center. Authors must indicate initial
publication in the Journal when republishing.
Article 8 (No Return or Fees)
Manuscripts are not returned. No fees charged
(except for special issues).
Article 9 (Ethics and Privacy)
Submissions imply agreement with all journal and
university ethics codes. Personal data must be
handled with care.
Article 10 (Journal Policy)
Responsibility for content lies with the author. DOI
will be assigned on J-STAGE. The Journal may partner
with other institutions.
Article 11 (Revisions)
Amendments require Committee deliberation and
Director approval.
Supplementary Provisions
Effective December 1, 2025.
These instructions set forth the submission
requirements, procedures, and copyright handling for
contributions to the journal *South Asian
Affairs*.
--- Guidelines for Manuscript Preparation
for South
Asian Affairs
(Enforcement Date: December 1, 2025)
Article 1 (Indication of Manuscript Type)
Clearly mark manuscripts as "Journal Manuscript"
with their category.
Article 2 (Submission Format)
Submit in Word format (A4, horizontal).
PDF-compatible layout recommended.
Article 3 (Title and Author Info)
Provide a separate cover sheet with names and
affiliations. No identifying info in the main text.
Article 4 (Figures and Photos)
Include captions and indicate insertion points.
300dpi resolution recommended.
Article 5 (Special Symbols)
Attach a list for any special characters used.
Article 6 (Abstract and Keywords)
- Japanese manuscripts: English abstract (≤500
words) + keywords in both languages.
- English manuscripts: English abstract + English
keywords.
Article 7 (Structure, Notes, References)
Use chapters and a table of contents. Endnotes only.
References in alphabetical order or by language.
Article 8 (Citation Examples)
Provide monographs, journal articles, and anthology
citation formats.
Article 9 (Book Review Info)
Include full bibliographic details of reviewed
works.
Article 10 (Proofreading)
Only one round of author proofreading. Only minor
edits allowed.
Article 11 (Inquiries)
Contact the Editorial Committee with any questions.
Supplementary Provisions
Effective December 1, 2025.
== Review Regulations for South Asian
Affairs
(Enforcement Date: December 1, 2025)
Article 1 (Purpose)
Defines procedures and reviewer responsibilities to
ensure academic quality and integrity.
Article 2 (Scope)
Applies to:
1. Research Papers
2. Research Notes
3. Book Reviews, Translations, Material
Introductions (editorial discretion)
Article 3 (Method)
Double-blind review. Two reviewers per manuscript;
three if needed. At least one external reviewer
required.
Article 4 (Criteria)
Originality, methodology, clarity, relevance, and
completeness.
Article 5 (Outcomes)
1. Accept
2. Accept with minor revisions
3. Major revision and re-review
4. Reject
Article 6 (Reports)
Submit within one month using the specified format,
including detailed feedback.
Article 7 (Final Decision)
Made by the Editorial Committee. Tied reviews may
trigger a third review.
Article 8 (Author Notification)
Chairperson informs author. Revisions must be
submitted within one month.
Article 9 (Ethics)
Reviewers must remain impartial and disclose
conflicts of interest. Confidentiality is mandatory.
Article 10 (Misconduct)
Report serious ethical concerns to the Committee.
External experts may be involved.
Article 11 (Honorarium)
No honorarium for Center members. Others per
university rules.
Article 12 (Revisions)
Amendments require Committee deliberation and
Director approval.
Supplementary Provisions
Effective December 1, 2025.
