Conditions for Use
The SSJ Data Archive offers access to its datasets, at no cost, under the conditions described below. While use of the data is free of charge, for data supplied by postal mail applicants are requested to cover the expenses of sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope with their application.
Please be advised that conditions for use may differ in certain cases, so we ask that you carefully confirm the details provided in the "Abstract" file for each dataset that you wish to apply for.
- Qualifications for Data Use
- Purpose of Use
- Number of Datasets Available for Use at One Time
- Approval for Use
- Duration of Period of Use
- Usage Agreement (Pledge)
- Use by Students
- Data Available for Educational Purposes
- Data Format
Qualifications for Data Use
Researchers affiliated with academic institutions (universities, colleges, and research institutions) and graduate students under the supervision of faculty members at academic institutions may apply for use of SSJDA data.
Limited number of datasets is available for use by undergraduate students under the supervision of faculty members. For details, see the Use by Students section.
As a rule, applications from researchers in private-sector research organizations are only accepted from researchers in organizations that have deposited data with SSJDA.
Purpose of Use
Use of SSJDA datasets is restricted to secondary analysis for academic research purposes only.
Limited number of datasets can be used by faculty members for educational purposes, upon approval of the application. For details, see the Data Available for Educational Purposes section.
Number of Datasets Available for Use at One Time
As a rule, there is no limit to the number of datasets that you may use at one time. However, when applying for a large number of datasets, you may be asked to submit an additional form detailing your reason for requesting the data. We ask for your understanding in such cases. Beginning in October, 2014, you may apply for up to 5 series of datasets per month. Please visit this page for more detailed information.
Approval for Use
Applications for Data Use require approval by the institutions that have deposited the data as well as by the SSJ Data Archive.
Please be advised that the application approval and data delivery process generally takes approximately one month, and in some cases two or three months . Please take this into consideration when designing your research plan. In particular, for data that is provided by postal mail, the data will be mailed to you only after the SSJ Data Archive receives your self-addressed and stamped envelope. Therefore, we ask that you check your e-mail regularly during the application process so that you will be ready to send the self-addressed and stamped envelope as soon as you have received the e-mail notifying you of the approval of your application.
Duration of Period of Use
As a rule, permission to access the data terminates after one year, counting from the day the data files are supplied.
Some datasets do not have a limited period of use. Please see the details in the "Abstract" file for the dataset(s) you wish to use.
It is possible to extend the period of use. If you apply for an extension, the period of use may be extended for one additional year. There is no limit to the number of extensions you may apply for; however some datasets require a detailed reason for extension.
Upon termination of the data use period, you are required to erase all the data from your computer system and to destroy the CD-R (for data provided by postal mail) as well.
Usage Agreement (Pledge)
The SSJ Data Archive is offered free of charge through the mutual trust and cooperation of the depositing institutions who provide the datasets, the dataset users, and SSJDA.
To maintain this service, applicants are required to read and accept the terms described in the following Agreement (Pledge). Checking on ''I agree to the Pledge written above" on the Data Application Form indicates your agreement to comply with the specified requirements. Violation of the agreement will result in revocation of the permit, restriction of future use, and the undertaking of other necessary measures.
Agreement (Pledge)
- I shall restrict my use of the data to secondary analysis for the purposes I described in the 'Research Plan' section of the Usage Application only. I shall protect the confidentiality of individual respondents and organizations contained in the data. I shall not analyze the data in any way that will disclose the identity of individual respondents or organizations. I shall not permit anyone other than those authorized through this agreement to gain access to the dataset(s).
Note: If you are using the dataset(s) for educational purposes, you must submit an application form listing the names of all the students who will be taking the class in order to authorize their use of the data. If you are unable to supply the list of students at the time of the initial application, please submit the list within three months of the date of approval. - All inquiries regarding the surveys will be made, in principle, through SSJDA, and not directly to the depositors.
- When publishing the results of the secondary analysis of SSJDA dataset(s), I shall acknowledge the data source by citing as follows: The data for this secondary analysis, "name of the survey, name of the depositor," was provided by the Social Science Japan Data Archive, Center for Social Research and Data Archives, Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo.
- I shall promptly notify SSJDA if any change regarding the content of this application arises.
- Upon termination of the period of use I shall erase the dataset(s). I shall also submit to SSJDA the Usage Report, as well as the required number (one for each depositor and one for SSJDA) of copies of each publication(1).
I shall also submit to SSJDA the Usage Report, as well as an electronic file or required number of copies of each publication(1). - I shall comply with all other requirements specified by SSJDA.
- I understand that the depositor(s) of the data and SSJDA bear no responsibility for any disadvantage I might encounter as a result of using the dataset(s) supplied by SSJDA.
(1) "Publication" refers to printed material such as books, articles, conference papers, theses, dissertations, reports, etc. When the "publication" constitutes a section of a lager publication, and submitting the entire publication entails difficulty, copies of the "publication" may be submitted. SSJDA will forward the submitted publication to each depositor. Additionally, the title and authors of the "publication" will be introduced in related site in the SSJDA web site.
Use by Students
Undergraduate students can use data through data usage application fo educational purposes by faculty advisors. Please observe Pledge and use data under instruction of your faculty supervisor.
Data Available for Educational Purposes
A limited number of datasets are available for educational purposes by faculty members (e.g., for use in courses). Please refer to the details available in the "Abstract" for each dataset. Faculty members are responsible for appropriate management of the data, including distribution of data to enrolled students and data erasure upon completion of course objectives. Faculty members applying for data use are required to submit a list of the students enrolled in the course, including their affiliation and enrollment status, to the SSJ Data Archive within three months of the date of approval. For distribution of datasets to students, please make sure to use removable media (e.g. USB flash memory and CD). In order to avoid the datasets to be given to any third party, it is prohibited to distribute datasets through the Internet .
Data Format
Data is provided in text format (.csv), SPSS format (.sav), and Stata format (.dta). Please also note that most datasets are provided with variable and value labels in Japanese.