Country: Japan
Website: https://www.janar.org/
Focal point: Joseph Pozsgai-Alvarez, Founder and Network Administrator at JANAR
Email: email hidden; JavaScript is required
Working language/s: English, Japanese
Mission and vision
The Japan Network of Anti-Corruption Researchers (JANAR) is the main platform and mailing list for Japan-based scholars and professionals interested in corruption and integrity research, aiming to foster informal contact among specialists in corruption-related work, the exchange of opinions regarding research agendas, and explore the possibility of building a stable network of Japan-based experts in corruption studies.
Priority areas your organization is working on
Janar provides a channel for all of its members to share academic and professional news (such as publications, projects, calls for collaboration, etc.) and other anti-corruption knowledge resources deemed helpful. As such, it focuses on the socialization of anti-corruption activities conducted by its members and the sharing of information valuable to them (e.g., databases, new academic publications, calls for domestic and international events, etc.).
Important achievements for your organization over the past 2 years
First Annual Meeting, held on 28 November 2020, with the following presentations:
- OKA Natsuko: “Informal exchange after communism: the case of Kazakhstan.”
- ISHIKAWA Yusuke: “NGO’s Approaches to Measure the Transparency and Quality of Anti-Corruption Policies and Procedures.”
- POZSGAI-ALVAREZ Joseph: “Patterns of (anti-)corruption research through bibliometric analysis.”
The seminar “Corruption in the time of Covid-19: What are the Implications for Japan and Other Countries Globally?” held on 30 April 2020.
Today JANAR welcomes 50 researchers and practitioners from institutions across Japan and abroad.
Specific description of the CSO’s work in anti-corruption
JANAR welcomes the participation of the community of scientists and practitioners working on any of the following topics: Abuse of power; access to public information; anti-corruption compliance; bid-rigging and cartels; bribery; clientelism; conflict of interests; cronyism, influence peddling, nepotism; electoral fraud; regulatory capture; embezzlement; ethics, morality, integrity; ethics management; integrity training and awareness; facilitation payments; good governance; media censorship; money laundering and asset recovery; impunity; organized crime; accountability and transparency; and, whistleblowing.
CSO’s work in relation to the UNCAC and the UNCAC review mechanism
ANAR founder Joseph Pozsgai-Alvarez collaborated in the project “Western Hemisphere Regional Transnational Crime Assessment and Analysis” implemented by John Jay College of Criminal Justice with the support of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the US Government. The overall objective of this project was to assess the implementation of international anti-corruption conventions (UNCAC, IACAC, and OECD Anti-Bribery Convention) in Central America, South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.