Revealing Success Factors for Diamond OA: A Preliminary Study of Kiyo Journals

Kiyo journals are a type of publishing media edited and published by universities, departments, or on-campus academic societies in Japan. These publications have long played a role in disseminating the academic work of faculty members, often serving as a venue for research that may not fit within the scope of commercial or international journals. Kiyo journals can be considered a form of Diamond Open Access (OA) as many charge no fees to authors or readers and are often made publicly available through institutional repositories. The importance of Kiyo journals as scholarly publications appears to vary by discipline; some have earned strong reputations within specific fields, such as law.
The poster aims to explore the factors contributing to the success of Kiyo journals through interviews with Kiyo editors, particularly in the field of law, aiming to provide insights that may inform the success of Diamond Open Access journals. Findings suggest that Kiyo journals are maintained as important media within a somewhat closed ecosystem.