Ownership, Governance and Editorial Independence

JGTSS is published by Jandoo Press Co., Ltd., whose published address is 1-53-13, Nishigahara, Kita-ku, Tokyo 114-0024, Japan. The publisher provides the journal’s administrative, production and financial infrastructure. Scholarly responsibility rests with the journal’s academic editors, who decide whether a contribution merits publication without direction from financial or promotional interests.

Academic responsibility

The publicly listed Co-Editors-in-Chief are Mo Chen, Peking University, China, and Letian Zhang, Harvard University, United States. Their roles, current affiliations and the membership of the editorial board are maintained on the Editorial Board page. Changes to the academic leadership are announced with an effective date. A person must agree to serve before being listed; honorary association alone does not authorize manuscript decisions.

The Co-Editors-in-Chief oversee scope, review quality, appointments and the integrity of the published record. They may delegate handling to a qualified editor, but remain responsible for ensuring a competent and independent decision. Board members advise within their expertise and are expected to disclose conflicts, respect confidentiality and perform agreed duties. The publisher and academic leadership periodically review whether the board’s expertise and institutional distribution serve the journal’s international social-science remit.

Independence and recusal

APC payment, a waiver request, institutional partnership, nationality, professional rank or willingness to cite the journal must not determine whether a submission is sent for review or accepted. Finance staff do not vote on manuscript merit. Editors must not be rewarded for accepting individual paid manuscripts. A publisher concern about unlawful content or serious integrity risk may require an investigation, but any resulting scholarly action must be documented and independently assessed.

An editor with an authorship, supervisory, close collaborative, personal or financial interest in a manuscript cannot select reviewers, see confidential handling correspondence or decide its outcome. An unconflicted senior editor assumes responsibility. If neither Co-Editor-in-Chief can act independently, the publisher arranges an appropriately qualified external academic editor with no stake in the outcome. The article discloses the relevant editorial relationship and independent handling.

Partnerships and accountability

The Center for Surrounding Communication Studies, Peking University, is JGTSS’s sole current institutional academic partner. It provides no financial sponsorship. The publisher provides the 50 percent reduction for eligible corresponding authors who are researchers of the centre, under Fee Waivers and Institutional Discounts. The relationship does not extend to the university as a whole or confer authority over academic decisions.

Send editorial questions to jgtsseditorialoffice@jandoopress.com. A governance complaint or allegation of interference goes to jgtssappeals@jandoopress.com for assignment outside the reporting line of the person concerned. The Independent Appeals Editor documents the outcome while protecting confidential evidence.

Independent handling under the editorial charter

The Co-Editors-in-Chief hold scholarly authority for the journal. The Managing Editor coordinates submissions, while distinct Research Integrity, Independent Appeals, Finance, Privacy and Technical Support roles carry the administrative responsibilities defined in the relevant policies. An administrative appointment does not authorize acceptance of research. Duties and confidential communication routes belong to these offices rather than to an individual’s private account.

An unconflicted Co-Editor-in-Chief delegates a conflicted manuscript to a qualified independent handling editor in a written appointment. If both Co-Editors-in-Chief are involved, the publisher arranges an external academic appointment. For an appeal or complaint involving the leadership or publisher, an external academic acts as Independent Appeals Editor. If the publisher is implicated, an unconflicted academic editor coordinates that appointment. The subject of a complaint cannot choose, direct or remove its assessor because of the expected outcome. No final case decision proceeds until independent handling is in place.

An appointed assessor must not have made the contested decision, share a current institution or close collaboration with an affected author, or have a material personal or financial stake. The assessor records conflicts and confidentiality commitments, receives only necessary evidence and may seek specialist advice. A recused author-editor sees only the information available to an ordinary author. The independent office holder controls the academic conclusion; production staff implement the resulting action without a commercial veto.

The journal uses jgtsseditorialoffice@jandoopress.com for editorial administration, jgtsssupport@jandoopress.com for technical support, jgtssintegrity@jandoopress.com for integrity reports, jgtssappeals@jandoopress.com for independent challenges, jgtssfinance@jandoopress.com for finance and jgtssprivacy@jandoopress.com for privacy. The publisher assigns accountable holders and deputies and must establish confidential routing and role access before the offices handle cases. Appointment and access records are maintained separately from the public academic directory.

Last updated: 16 September 2026