Search

The National IP Strategic Programme 2010 reaffirmed the importance of an international standardization strategy in improving Japan's international competitiveness, and recommended making a linkage between Japan's technological advantages and international competiveness through IP protection and international standardization. It set up clear target indictors as of 2020: (4) to establish international standards in the areas where assessment methods and standards play important roles in realizing environmental protection, and safety and security.

In addition to the four strategic priorities identified in the National IP Strategic Programme 2011, the green technology plan is part of a long-standing IP-related national strategy. Japan is an industrial giant with very limited natural resources and a very high population density; this generates a strong need for environmental technology to ensure sustainable development of the economy. Promoting environmental technology is an essential part of Japan's IP, energy, and environment policy.

In order to encourage innovation and patenting activity in environmental technology, the JPO established a green-related accelerated patent examination pilot programme in 2009: the pendency of first official action was shortened from an average 22 months to about 2 months.

Japan's high environmental R&D expenditure and efficient patent system have made it a leader in environment technology. Since 2000, Japan's PCT applications for environmental technology have increased steadily, with average growth of 16.9%. Japan remains one of the top three countries in terms of PCT applications in environmental technology

While the PCT applications increased steadily, Japan's national applications for environmental technology have experienced a decrease of 7.2% since 2005. This was in line with the decrease of overall national patent applications, which may be attributed partly to economic constraints and to the industry's adaptation to the patent strategy (Chart III.11).

The Japanese Intellectual Property Association (JIPA) introduced the Green Technology Package Programme (GTPP) in 2010, with the main purpose of establishing a global comprehensive environmental technology information database, which would facilitate the transfer of technology between prospective technology users and potential providers worldwide.

Based on the GTPP programme and in close collaboration with the JIPA, WIPO launched WIPO Green, in 2010, in an effort to respond to the UNFCCC's call for promoting and cooperating in the development, application, and diffusion of environmentally sound technology. WIPO Green was intended to provide a platform for both the user and provider of environmental technology to accelerate the adaptation, adoption and deployment of environmental technology, particularly in developing countries and emerging economies.

Japan plays an active role in international negotiations on the protection of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, which take place mainly in WIPO IGC, WTO TRIPS Council, and Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP). At the CBD's tenth COP meeting (COP 10) in October 2010, parties adopted the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity (Nagoya Protocol). The Protocol addresses the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources. The Nagoya Protocol is directly relevant to the work of the TRIPS Council in examining the relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the CBD. Japan signed the Nagoya Protocol on 11 May 2011, and encouraged other WTO countries to implement the Protocol. In the WTO and WIPO, Japan also proposed to establish a comprehensive database system to address erroneous patents in the field of biotechnology

Furthermore, in order to contribute to the realization of the Basic Plan, the Basic Policy and Action Plan for the Revitalization of Japan's Food, Agriculture, forestry and Fisheries was introduced in October 2011. The action plan states that the Government needs to work intensively over the next five years on strategies such as (i) realization of sustainable and rigorous agriculture by accelerating the consolidation of scattered farmlands and by increasing the number of youths newly entering into farming, (ii) promoting collaboration of primary, secondary and tertiary industries, and making agriculture a growing industry, and (iii) promotion of renewable energy supply.

The Fisheries Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) administers Japan's fisheries policy; a considerable amount of the responsibility devolves to prefectural governments and local Fisheries Cooperative Associations. The main laws regulating fisheries are the Basic Law on Fisheries Policy, the Fisheries Law, and the Law Regarding Conservation and Management of Marine Living Resources. The Basic Law on Fisheries Policy has two main objectives: to secure a stable supply of fishery products, and to ensure the sound development of the fishing industry by promoting the appropriate conservation and management of marine living resources. It establishes the direction for management measures in pursuance of these objectives. The Fisheries Law establishes national and prefectural licensing systems, and a rights-based management system, principally for coastal fisheries. The Law Regarding Conservation of Marine Living Resources contains provisions on total allowable catch (TAC) and total allowable effort (TAE), along with a plan for managing resources within the EEZ. Seven species; (saury, Alaska pollack, sardine, jack mackerel, common and spotted mackerel, common squid, and snow crab) are subject to the TAC. In addition, the fishing industry undertakes voluntary resource management efforts, including capacity and effort reductions (seasonal and size restrictions, etc.)