FAQ
We have compiled answers to frequently asked questions by category. Before contacting us by email, please review the information provided here. Please note that inquiries already addressed in this FAQ cannot be answered individually by email.
About the Society
Q. What are the office hours of the society secretariat and journal editorial offices?
The society secretariat and the editorial offices of each journal are available from Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Japan Standard Time). The offices are closed on Japanese national holidays, during the summer holiday period (Obon), and over the year-end and New Year holidays. Information regarding annual Obon and year-end/New Year closures will be announced to members via email and on the website or social media channels of the Asian Society of Human Services. Please note that inquiries are reviewed and handled in order. Responses may take additional time, especially during closure periods.
Manuscript Submission
Q. How can I check whether my manuscript is suitable for a specific journal before submission?
The aims and scope of each journal published by the Asian Society of Human Services are described on the respective information pages. Details regarding the Article Processing Charge (APC) and related policies are also available via internal links on the information pages or on the About page. Please note that the field of human services is broad and interdisciplinary. Even studies in the humanities, such as history or literature, are considered appropriate if they contribute to the development of human services in contemporary or future contexts. Decisions regarding scope and eligibility are made during the initial editorial screening and the peer-review process after submission. We do not accept inquiries by email to confirm suitability prior to submission. We encourage you to proceed with your submission and look forward to receiving your manuscript.
Q. Is there a submission deadline for journals published by the Asian Society of Human Services?
There is no specific submission deadline for journals published by our society. Once the peer-review process has been completed and the Article Processing Charge (APC) has been paid, manuscripts will be assigned to an appropriate issue based on the editorial schedule. As a general guideline, manuscripts for which the APC payment is completed by the end of the month preceding the publication month may be considered for inclusion in that issue. However, depending on the volume of accepted manuscripts, the assigned issue may be adjusted, and publication in a specific issue cannot be guaranteed.
Q. At what point is the publication issue of my manuscript confirmed?
The publication volume and issue of a manuscript are confirmed not at the time of the acceptance notification after peer review, but at the point when payment of the Article Processing Charge (APC) has been confirmed. Taking the editorial schedule into consideration, manuscripts for which publication is confirmed by the end of the month preceding the publication month will be treated as eligible for inclusion in that specific issue.
Q. Can I request an official certificate confirming that my paper has been scheduled for publication?
Yes. Once the volume and issue in which your manuscript will appear have been finalized, an official publication confirmation certificate can be issued upon the author’s request. To request the certificate, please contact the editorial office by email and clearly include the author’s name, the title of the paper, and the manuscript number in the body of your message. Please note that the certificate cannot be issued unless the relevant manuscript can be properly identified.
Q. I would like to check the status of my manuscript currently under peer review.
Submitted manuscripts are forwarded for peer review in due course. Please note that, depending on the journal and the specifications of the review system, the review period may vary. For AJHS, the initial peer-review process typically takes approximately one month. If more than one and a half months have passed since submission and the status has not changed, please contact the editorial office. In the case of AJHS, you can also check the status of your manuscript through your account in Editorial Manager. For TRR and JIE, the initial peer-review process generally takes about two months. If you have not received any communication after three months from submission, please contact the editorial office. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain efficient administrative procedures.
Q. How many Japanese characters correspond to the English word limit for manuscript submissions?
As a general estimate, one English word corresponds to approximately two to three Japanese characters. For example, a limit of 3,000 words in English would be roughly equivalent to 6,000 to 9,000 Japanese characters. Please note that this estimation applies only to journals that accept submissions in Japanese, namely TRR and JIE.
About Each Journals
AJHS
Q. How can I submit a manuscript to AJHS?
AJHS uses an online submission and peer-review system called Editorial Manager. To begin the submission process, please log in to the system via the submission portal. If you are using the system for the first time, you will need to create an account by clicking “Register” at the top right of the page. For step-by-step guidance, an official instructional video on how to submit a manuscript via Editorial Manager is also available on the journal website. Before submission, please be sure to review the journal’s Instructions for Authors and manuscript formatting requirements carefully.
TRR
Q. How can I submit a manuscript to TRR?
TRR uses an online submission and peer-review system called Editorial Board. To submit your manuscript, please complete the procedure via the dedicated submission form. No account registration is required. Before submission, be sure to carefully review the journal’s Instructions for Authors and manuscript formatting requirements available on the journal’s website.
JIE
Q. How can I submit a manuscript to JIE?
JIE uses an online submission and peer-review system called Editorial Board. To submit your manuscript, please complete the procedure via the dedicated submission form. No account registration is required. Before submission, be sure to carefully review the journal’s Instructions for Authors and manuscript formatting requirements available on the journal’s website.
About APC (Article Processing Charges)
Q. I have received a quotation via PayPal. What should I do next?
After you approve the quotation sent via PayPal, the editorial office will review it and issue a formal invoice. The official invoice will then be sent to you again through PayPal. Once you receive the PayPal invoice, please review the details carefully and proceed with the payment. Please note that this two-step process (quotation → invoice issuance) is part of the APC contractual procedure. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
Q. What should I do if PayPal is technically unavailable for payment?
If you experience technical issues or have questions regarding the use of PayPal, please contact PayPal directly for assistance. If you are unable to use PayPal even after contacting PayPal support, or if you reside in a country or region where PayPal is not available, alternative payment methods may be arranged on an individual basis. In such cases, please contact the relevant editorial office for further guidance.
Q. I applied for the APC student discount at the time of submission. When will the discount be applied?
The review of the APC (Article Processing Charge) student discount is conducted after the manuscript has completed the peer-review process and has been accepted, provided that the student discount was requested at the time of submission. Together with the acceptance notification, the editorial office will request documents proving that the APC payer is a student (e.g., a graduate student). If the supporting documents are written in a language other than English, please provide a brief explanation in English to facilitate confirmation. Please note that the student discount is not guaranteed. Even if approved, the APC may not be fully waived. The Editorial Board will determine whether the discount is granted and the rate of the discount based on factors such as the quality of the manuscript and its contribution to the aims of the journal. In addition, if the APC payer is not a student, the manuscript is not eligible for student discount review, even if one of the co-authors is a student.
Q. Is it possible to issue an invoice or receipt for institutional submission?
All billing and receipts for our society are processed through the PayPal system. As these documents meet international invoice standards, we generally do not provide separate written invoices or receipts. This policy is in place to ensure administrative efficiency and to prevent processing errors.
About Scopus
Q. Can you provide evidence that the journal is indexed in Scopus?
You may verify the indexing status of the journal by accessing the official Scopus title list available on the website of Elsevier and downloading the latest list of indexed sources.
Please note that the editorial office does not provide individual certificates or documents upon request. Authors are kindly asked to confirm the indexing status independently using the official source. This approach has also been confirmed with the representative of Elsevier Japan, who recommends referring to the downloadable title list as the appropriate method of verification.
Q. When will articles published in the journal appear in Scopus?
Articles published in the journal are indexed in Scopus after the publication metadata is provided by the publisher and processed by the Scopus indexing system. This process usually takes several weeks to a few months after the issue has been officially published. The exact timing may vary depending on the indexing schedule and processing time of Scopus.
Please note that the timing of indexing is determined by Scopus. Therefore, the editorial office is unable to provide information on the exact indexing date even if inquiries are made. For reference, Asian Journal of Human Services Vol. 30(1), published on January 31, 2026, was indexed in Scopus on April 8, 2026. While this suggests that indexing may take approximately three to four months, we kindly ask you to treat this as a general indication only. According to the representative of Elsevier Japan, the indexing timeframe is not fixed and may vary for each issue.
Q. Do I need to register a Scopus Author ID in advance?
No, authors do not need to register a Scopus Author ID in advance. According to the official Scopus website, a Scopus Author ID is automatically generated when an author’s paper is published and indexed in Scopus. Once the article is indexed, the Author ID is created and linked to the author’s name and publication record. Please note that author information may be updated over time. Authors are advised to check the official Scopus website for the most up-to-date and accurate information.