Editorial Statistics and Best Reviewers Award for 2015

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Circulation Journal, I am pleased to announce the editorial statistics for 2015, and the recipients of the Best Reviewers Awards for 2015.

1. Editorial statistics for 2015

As shown in Figure 1, we received 1,372 manuscripts in 2015, the highest number on record, for publication in the Journal, including 1,062 original papers (924 clinical and 138 experimental), 50 invited review articles, 114 invited editorials, 28 rapid communications, and 85 images in cardiovascular medicine. Approximately half were submitted from Japan, followed by China, Korea, Taiwan, Italy and USA (Figure 2). For the last 12 years, the number of submissions has been steadily increasing even after we terminated publication of case reports in October 2008 and the East Japan Earthquake Disaster (Figure 3). The abovementioned 6 countries have remained the top 6 countries in terms of paper submissions over that period (Figure 4). The acceptance rate for original manuscripts in 2015 was approximately 20.9%.

Figure 1.

The details of manuscripts submitted in 2015.

Figure 2.

Countries submitting manuscripts in 2015.

Figure 3.

The total number of submissions for the last 12 years.

Figure 4.

The number of submissions for the last 12 years in top 6 countries. Asia (All): all Asian countries except Japan.

2. Best Reviewers Awards for 2015

In 2015, a total of 822 reviewers kindly reviewed the manuscripts submitted. In appreciation of their valuable contributions, we have selected the 20 Best Reviewers of the Year 2015 as follows:

	Osamu Tsukamoto, MD (Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka) Number of reviews: 26 RPS: 173.0 Previous awards: 2012, 2013, 2014		Hiroshi Asanuma, MD (Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto) Number of reviews: 24 RPS: 151.8 Previous awards: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
	Shinichi Niwano, MD (Kitasato University, Kanagawa) Number of reviews: 17 RPS: 109.4 Previous awards: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014		Shoji Sanada, MD (Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka) Number of reviews: 19 RPS: 107.6 Previous awards: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
	Akira Fujiki, MD (Shizuoka Heart Rhythm Clinic, Shizuoka) Number of reviews: 22 RPS: 100.2 Previous awards: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014		Kyung-Duk Min, MD (National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka) Number of reviews: 22 RPS: 100.0 Previous awards: 2013, 2014
	Kazuhiro Yamamoto, MD (Tottori University, Tottori) Number of reviews: 15 RPS: 98.0 Previous awards: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014		Junya Ako, MD (Kitasato University School of Medicine, Kanagawa) Number of reviews: 15 RPS: 93.8 Previous awards: 2014
	Kenichi Fujii, MD (Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo) Number of reviews: 16 RPS: 87.7 Previous awards: 2014		Koichi Inoue, MD (Sakurabashi Watanabe Hospital, Osaka) Number of reviews: 15 RPS: 84.0
	Hiroyuki Morita, MD (The University of Tokyo, Tokyo) Number of reviews: 13 RPS: 78.0 Previous awards: 2013, 2014		Yutaka Okita, MD (Kobe University, Hyogo) Number of reviews: 16 RPS: 76.4 Previous awards: 2014
	Masaharu Ishihara, MD (Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo) Number of reviews: 15 RPS: 75.0 Previous awards: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014		Takashi Koyama, MD (Akita University, Akita) Number of reviews: 12 RPS: 72.0 Previous awards: 2014
	Yoshihiro Seo, MD (University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki) Number of reviews: 14 RPS: 71.6 Previous awards: 2012		Nobuyuki Ohte, MD (Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Aichi) Number of reviews: 10 RPS: 70.0 Previous awards: 2009
	Takanori Ikeda, MD (Toho University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo) Number of reviews: 12 RPS: 65.0 Previous awards: 2014		Hideki Ishii, MD (Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi) Number of reviews: 10 RPS: 63.3 Previous awards: 2008, 2011, 2012
	Koichi Kaikita, MD (Kumamoto University, Kumamoto) Number of reviews: 12 RPS: 63.0 Previous awards: 2012		Shinsuke Miyazaki, MD (Tsuchiura Kyodo Hospital, Ibaraki) Number of reviews: 11 RPS: 63.0

*The Reviewer Performance Score (RPS) is determined as follows for reviewers who made at least 6 reviews in 2015 (review time limit, 14 days):

*RPS=[(Number of reviews completed within 1 week)×2+(number of reviews completed within 2 weeks)×1+(number of reviews completed within 3 weeks)×0.2]×quality of review (average)–(number of declined reviews)+(number of editorial comments published in the Journal)×10.

The review quality of reviewers was evaluated for each manuscript by an Associate Editor who was in charge of the manuscript (range: 1~3) and the average score used.

The above Reviewers will be awarded by the Japanese Circulation Society with a Certificate of Achievement and an honorarium.

In the year ahead in 2016, we expect a steady increase in the number of submissions, as well as an increase in the scientific impact of the Journal.

• Hiroaki Shimokawa, MD, PhD
• Editor-in-Chief
• Circulation Journal

(Released online January 15, 2016)