The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers (IEICE) is actively involved in the publishing of submitted manuscripts. However, one effect of these activities has been the steady increase in the journal's publishing costs, a situation that is putting a strain on our financial conditions. To avoid this vicious circle, in which the more actively we publish the greater our financial burden grows, our General Assembly of this May approved a change, effective April 2006, away from distribution of IEICE Transactions in the conventional journal format to furnishing the rights to access online versions. Also endorsed were revisions in the related regulations.

Accompanying this change, the online editions, which had been available free of charge, shift to a fee-based system under which only members have access the main texts of contributed manuscripts (access to the titles, author names and abstracts continue to be available to non-members as well). Under the present system, one version of the journal format IEICE Transactions has been included in the annual charge. From here on, access to the online editions of our affiliated Societies continues to be provided at the same annual charge (an exception to this will be ELEX, which continues to be disclosed without charge to help raise its recognition).

Under the existing system, passwords are used to gain access to the main text of the manuscripts. With the new system, the passwords used to date are no longer accepted, with new passwords to be issued. We request the understanding and support of our members in this decision, with the new passwords scheduled to be sent to you through the regular mail service in March 2006.



The journal format, meanwhile, is sold at an optional price based on consideration of the costs involved. Preferential treatment is given to members wishing to receive journal versions in addition to the online edition, with the journal type to be sold as described below (the following information is an example of an Overseas Member; details on prices for other members are shown on our website).

1. For affiliated Societies, the online edition is included in the annual charge. The journal version is available at 4,000 yen for one publication, and 10,000 yen for a second publication. (For the same publication, this offer is limited to one copy, with the price from the second copy on to be the same as the regular market price.)

2. For additional Societies, access to that Society's online edition continues to be available for 3,500 yen (500 yen for the Society registration fee and 3,000 yen for the online access fee). The journal version is available at 4,000 yen for one publication, and 10,000 yen for a second publication. (In the same way, for the same journal this offer is limited to one copy, with the price from the second copy on to be the same as the regular market price.)