Chapter 1. General Provisions 

Article 1. Title 

The official journal of the Korean-Japanese Economic & Management Association shall be titled Korean-Japanese Journal of Business and Economics. The journal is published regularly under the supervision of the Editorial Board.

Article 2. Purpose of Publication

The Korean-Japanese Journal of Business and Economics is published with the aim of contributing to the accumulation of academic knowledge in the fields of economics, business, and social studies in both Korea and Japan. It also seeks to provide members of the Korean-Japanese Economic & Management Association with opportunities for scholarly discussion and academic resources to support their educational and research activities.

Article 3. Publication Schedule

The journal is published four times a year, in principle, on the following dates: February 28, May 31, August 31, and November 30. Special issues may be published as needed.

Chapter 2. Editorial Board

Article 4. Composition

The Editorial Board shall consist of one Editor-in-Chief, one Associate Editor-in-Chief, approximately fifteen Editors, and one Managing Editor.

Article 5. Roles and Responsibilities

The roles and responsibilities of the Editorial Board members are as follows:

1. Editor-in-Chief

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for overseeing the entire editorial and administrative process of the journal. This includes assigning reviewers for submitted manuscripts, ensuring the fairness and integrity of the peer review process, and managing the editing and publication of the journal.

2. Associate Editor-in-Chief

The Associate Editor-in-Chief assists the Editor-in-Chief and assumes their duties in the event of absence or incapacity.

3. Editors

Editors are responsible for the review of submitted manuscripts, nominating potential reviewers, mediating communication between authors and reviewers, reviewing and deciding on the outcomes of peer reviews, selecting manuscripts for final publication, determining the order of published articles, deciding on the number of printed copies, managing online publications, and deciding policies related to submission, review, and publication fees. Editors are also expected to actively contribute to improving the quality of the journal.

4. Managing Editor

The Managing Editor supports the Editor-in-Chief, records and maintains minutes of the Editorial Board meetings, and oversees administrative tasks related to journal publication. An honorarium may be provided for the role, subject to the decision of the Editorial Board or the Executive Committee.

5. Confidentiality of Editorial Board Members

All members of the Editorial Board must maintain strict confidentiality regarding any personal information obtained through the manuscript review process. In cases of plagiarism or dual submission of a manuscript already published elsewhere, the matter should be reported to the Association for appropriate disciplinary action.

Article 6. Eligibility Criteria for Editors

Editorial Board members must possess outstanding research achievements in their respective academic fields. The selection should consider balance in terms of institution, geographic region, and discipline, and must meet all of the following minimum criteria:

1. At least five peer-reviewed articles published in national or international journals in the past five years;

2. At least two conference presentations at national or international academic conferences in the past five years.

Article 7. Selection Process of Editors

The appointment process of Editorial Board members, including the Editor-in-Chief, is as follows:

- The President recommends the most qualified candidate for Editor-in-Chief after consultation with the Executive Committee. The candidate is subject to approval by the Board of Directors and confirmation by the General Assembly.

- Editors are nominated by the Editor-in-Chief, who submits their CVs and documentation of academic accomplishments to the Executive Committee. The committee reviews and appoints the Editors.

- The Associate Editor-in-Chief and the Managing Editor are elected internally by the Editorial Board.

Article 8. Term of Office 

The term of office for the Editor-in-Chief and Editors is two years. Reappointment is permitted.

Article 9. Meetings 

- Meetings consist of regular and extraordinary meetings. Regular meetings are held quarterly, and extraordinary meetings may be convened by the Editor-in-Chief or upon the request of a majority of the Editors.

- Meeting dates shall be determined by the Editor-in-Chief, taking into account the number of submitted manuscripts and publication schedules, and should be communicated in advance to ensure broad participation.

- A resolution is passed with the attendance (including proxy) of at least two-thirds of the Editors and the approval of a majority of those present.

Article 10. Meeting Allowance 

A stipend or travel allowance may be provided to those who attend Editorial Board meetings.

Chapter 3. Review Criteria and Procedures

Article 11. Eligibility and Obligations for Submission

- Authors must be members of the Korea–Japan Economic & Management Association and must have paid the annual membership fee for the current year. No submission or review fees are charged.

- The publication fee for accepted manuscripts is KRW 300,000. For papers supported by external research funding—including internal university research grants—the publication fee is KRW 400,000. An additional fee of KRW 10,000 per page will be charged for manuscripts exceeding 20 pages in the final typeset version (the one-page abstract is excluded from this page count).

Article 12. Manuscript Review Process

1. Manuscript Submission

- Only manuscripts that comply with the Submission Guidelines of the Korea–Japan Economic & Management Journal will be accepted for review.

- Manuscripts are received on a rolling basis by the Editorial Office through the official submission website (https://kjem.jams.or.kr).

2. Selection of Reviewers

- Upon receiving a manuscript, the Editorial Manager removes all identifying information of the author and forwards an anonymized copy to the Editor-in-Chief.

- The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the editorial board, assigns three reviewers based on the subject area of the manuscript.

- Each manuscript is reviewed under a double-blind peer review process, in which the identities of both the author and the reviewers are concealed. Reviewers may communicate with the editorial board regarding the review process.

- Reviewers affiliated with the same institution as the author shall not be assigned to evaluate the manuscript.

3. Distribution and Review of Manuscripts

Once the reviewers are confirmed, the editorial office promptly sends each reviewer an anonymized version of the manuscript. At the time of distribution, reviewers are also informed of the manuscript evaluation criteria and decision categories.

Reviewers are expected to complete their evaluations within 7 days from the date of receipt. The editorial board and assigned managing editor must ensure that the review period does not exceed 10 days under any circumstances.

4. Submission of Review Reports and Processing of Review Results

- Each reviewer must submit their completed review report along with the annotated manuscript to the editorial board.

- The editorial office forwards the review results to the assigned managing editor without delay.

- After the initial review is completed, the Editor-in-Chief notifies the author of the results via email. Based on the reviewers’ evaluations, the author may be asked to revise the manuscript.

- If revisions are requested, the author is expected to comply unless clear justification is provided to contest the revision request. The revised manuscript must be submitted along with a detailed response to the reviewers' comments.

- The revised manuscript, along with the author’s response, will be reassessed either by the original reviewer or a third reviewer designated by the editorial board.

- After completing the review and revision process, the managing editor and the Editor-in-Chief determine the final decision based on the reviewers’ recommendations: accept, accept with minor revisions, revise and resubmit, or reject.

5. Notification of Review Results

The editorial board shall notify the author of the final editorial decision immediately upon receiving all review reports and reaching a decision.

6. Journal Publication

- Manuscripts accepted for publication will, in principle, be published in the next available issue of The Korean-Japanese Journal of Economics and Management following the date of acceptance.

- The order of publication within an issue is determined based on the date of final acceptance.

Article 13. Review Criteria 

The review process is conducted entirely at the discretion of the assigned reviewers. However, reviewers are expected to evaluate manuscripts fairly in accordance with the following review criteria.

* Key Evaluation Criteria 
1. Relevance of the Research Topic

- Appropriateness of the topic in relation to the scope and aims of the journal.

2. Validity of the Research Methodology

- Whether the research methods are appropriate and aligned with the research objectives.

3. Appropriateness of the Research Content

- Includes sound theoretical development and empirical investigation, if applicable.

4. Coherence and Structure of the Manuscript
- Logical flow and structural consistency of the overall manuscript.
5. Contribution of the Research Findings
- Academic significance and practical implications of the research outcomes.

Article 14. Review Decisions 

Peer reviewers shall evaluate submitted manuscripts based on the criteria outlined in Article 13 and assign one of the following ratings. Specific justifications for each rating are described below:

* Evaluation Grades and Descriptions

1. Grade A (90–100): Accept without revision

- The manuscript demonstrates excellent content and research structure. It can be published in the journal without any revision.

2. Grade B (80–89): Minor revision required before acceptance

- The manuscript contains no critical flaws in its content or structure, but certain parts require necessary revisions or improvements before publication.

3. Grade C (70–79): Major revision required and re-review needed

- The manuscript holds academic value but requires substantial revision or supplementation in terms of content or methodology. A second round of review is needed after revision.

4. Grade D (Below 70): Rejected
- The manuscript is either unfit to be considered a scholarly paper, or its academic quality is extremely low, rendering it unworthy of publication. It may also be rejected if it does not align with the aims or editorial policy of the journal.

In such cases, reviewers must clearly articulate their evaluation rationale: For manuscripts rated Grade B, reviewers are required to specifically list the revisions and improvements needed. For Grade C or D, reviewers must provide substantial justification for their decision, including detailed explanations and reasons in the review report.

Article 15. Final Decision on Publication

The Editorial Committee makes the final decision on publication based on the reviewers’ evaluations, following the criteria below:

- 90 points or above: Accept for publication (no revisions required)

- 80–89 points: Accept with revisions

- 70–79 points: Revise and resubmit

- Below 70 points: Reject

In the case of resubmission, a second-round review must result in either “Accept with revisions” or “Reject.” The option “Revise and resubmit” is no longer applicable.

If a manuscript receives a Grade D (Reject), the author may file an appeal. In such cases, the Editorial Committee shall assign the manuscript to a third independent reviewer, different from the original reviewers. The final decision will be made by the Editorial Committee based on this additional review.

Article 16. Notification of Review Results and Revision Requests

Once a final decision has been made regarding the publication of a manuscript, the Editor-in-Chief shall promptly notify the corresponding author of the outcome. Depending on the decision, the author may be requested to revise and supplement the manuscript accordingly.

Article 17. Objection and Mediation

Authors may raise objections or present differing perspectives regarding the reviewers’ comments, revision requests, or reasons for reevaluation. In doing so, they must provide valid arguments or empirical evidence to support their claims. The Editorial Board may facilitate anonymous communication between the author and reviewers, using appropriate channels to mediate the disagreement. 

However, if the differences in opinion cannot be reconciled, the final decision shall rest with the Editorial Board. In such cases, the author may not appeal the final editorial decision regarding publication.

Article 18. Submission of Revised Manuscripts

Authors who are requested to revise and supplement their manuscripts by the Editor-in-Chief must submit the revised manuscript to the Editorial Board within five (5) days of the notification date. The revised submission must be accompanied by a written response detailing the revisions made. 

If the author fails to submit the revised manuscript by the specified deadline without prior notice or valid reason, the submission will be considered withdrawn from the review process.

Article 19. Review of Revised Manuscripts

The review process for revised manuscripts shall proceed as follows:

- For manuscripts initially rated as “Accept without revision” or “Accept with minor revision,” the Editor-in-Chief will review the revised manuscript and the author’s response to ensure that the required modifications have been appropriately addressed. If the original reviewer has requested to verify the revisions or the author’s response, the revised manuscript and the response document will be forwarded to the reviewer for confirmation.

- For manuscripts initially rated as “Revise and resubmit” or “Reject,” the revised manuscript will be treated as a newly submitted paper, provided that it has undergone substantial revision. The new evaluation process will, in principle, be conducted by the same reviewers who reviewed the original manuscript.

Article 20. Manuscript Publication

The order of publication is not determined by the order of submission, but rather by the completion of the review process and the readiness of the manuscript for publication, as decided by the Editorial Board. However, in a single issue, a sole author may not publish more than two articles, and in the case of co-authored papers, no more than three articles may be published.

- In the case of joint authorship, the roles of First Author, Co-author(s), and Corresponding Author must be clearly indicated in a footnote on the first page of the manuscript.

- The sequence of article placement in each issue shall follow the principle of reflecting the journal’s academic focus, identity, and uniqueness. Articles will be arranged in the following order:

 * Studies on Japan and Korea (economics, business, industry, etc.)

 * Comparative Korea–Japan studies (economics, business, industry, etc.)

 * Other theoretical and empirical research

Within each category, articles shall be ordered alphabetically according to the Korean surnames of the corresponding authors.

Article 21. Miscellaneous Operational Guidelines

1. The copyright for all articles published in The Korean-Japanese Journal of Economics and Management shall be held by the Korean-Japanese Association of Economics and Management.

2. All notices, updates, and changes regarding submission, editorial procedures, and publication policies will be announced as needed on the Association’s official website (www.kjem.or.kr).