Recently, Japan has been witnessing drastic changes in the environment surrounding the Intellectual Property (IP) system such as economic globalization, sophistication of high-technology, and development of open-innovation. Under such circumstances, in accordance with the basic concept of the pro-patent policy to encourage further innovations, the Policy Committee on Innovation and Intellectual Property (PCIIP) was set up and discussed Japan’s desirable IP policies from various viewpoints. Subsequently, we prepared a draft of policy recommendations and report, and, at the same time, started inviting public comments in both Japanese and English on the draft.
The PCIIP just compiled a final set of policy recommendations and report on the basis of the received public comments. Then, The Japan Patent Office (JPO) is releasing the documents.


1. Japan has been working to encourage innovations based on its pro-patent policy. A discussion from a global perspective on a new IP policy that can keep up with recent drastic changes in the environment surrounding the IP system such as economic globalization, sophistication of high-technology, and development of open-innovation is essential to further promote innovations in the drastically changing environment surrounding the IP system.
2. For this purpose, the PCIIP was set up on December 18, 2007 led by Mr. Tamotsu NOMAKUCHI, Chairman, MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION. The PCIIP discussed Japan’s desirable IP policies from different angles. Then, in accordance with the basic concept of the pro-patent policy to encourage innovations and with the aim of developing a new pro-innovation IP system responsive to changes in the environment surrounding the IP system, the Policy Committee published a study report containing the following goals.

(1) Realization of a Sustainable Global Patent System
(2) Reducing the Amount of Uncertainty in the Patent System
(3) Development of an Infrastructure for the Promotion of Innovation

3. The PCIIP initially asked for public comments in Japanese and English in order to obtain the most advanced ideas from around the world for consideration in its discussions on IP in an interactive manner, and gathered comments on the existing IP system and on the challenges of developing a new IP system that keeps pace with socioeconomic changes. After the aforementioned PCIIP discussions had been held, public comments were invited on the corresponding draft policy recommendations and draft report, in which the discussions of the PCIIP were summarized, and numerous and various comments were received not only from institutions in Japan but also from those abroad, including foreign IP offices, IP-related organs, and overseas companies.
The PCIIP also conducted an in-depth study on the relationship between innovation and IP policy through opinion exchanges with more than 100 Japanese and foreign experts.

4. Based on the various comments it obtained through these activities, the PCIIP compiled a final set of policy recommendations and report, calling it “New Intellectual Property Policy for Pro-Innovation - Intellectual Property System as Global Infrastructure -.” The JPO is releasing the final set of the documents.
We sincerely appreciate the many valuable comments we had received as the PCIIP advanced the discussions. So as to check the policy recommendations and the report, meanwhile, please click on the following links.

1.　Policy Recommendations of “Policy Committee on Innovation and Intellectual Property” (PDF: 491KB)
2.　Report of “Policy Committee on Innovation and Intellectual Property” (PDF: 5,371KB)

Release Date

August 8, 2008

Division in Charge

Policy Planning and Research Division, General Affairs Department, Japan Patent Office

• Page top

• Back Issues

• Statistics
• White Papers & Reports
• Press Releases
• METI related Laws