International Cooperation in Association with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

The Japan Patent Office (JPO), in association with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), actively supports human resource development and provides technical cooperation in developing countries, for the purpose of supporting the advancement of Japanese companies through strengthening the protection of IP rights in developing countries. Our cooperation in developing countries through collaboration with each organization is outlined below.

Cooperation Initiatives with the WIPO: Funds-in-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global (FIT Japan IP Global)

Japan has been making voluntary contributions to WIPO since 1987 through the Funds-in-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global (FIT Japan IP Global), which was established based on these contributions.

At the time it was established, the geographical areas supported by this fund were limited to the Asia-Pacific region; however, in 2008 Africa also was included as a geographical area. Furthermore, in 2019, the fund’s name was changed to the "Global Fund" so that it could provide support globally without any regional limitations. It has been running under that basis ever since. Over the 37 years since it was established, Japan has contributed an aggregate amount of approximately 11 billion yen that has been used to provide support to more than 100 countries. The Fund has contributed to the development of intellectual property (IP) systems in developing countries through a variety of initiatives over the years, such as holding high-level meetings with various members of countries and regions to promote cooperation in the field of IP, sending experts to develop IP legal systems and operations, holding various workshops, and supporting the digitization of IP Offices. The JPO also focuses on fostering human resources who will play an important role in the development of IP systems.

The Funds-in-Trust Japan IP Global, while fully using the Japan's expertise and experiences in cooperation with developing and least-developed countries in the field of IP, contributes to energizing IP ecosystems in the whole world through supporting WIPO’s activities for the following objectives:

1. To establish a world in which innovations originated in developing and least-developed countries are properly protected as IP and commercialized, through establishing self-sustaining IP ecosystems in respective countries;
2. To form the Global IP network through connecting systems, people, and information around IP of respective countries;
3. To broaden the roles of IP for economic growth and social vibrancy through fostering deepened understanding of IP among experts in other fields and also the general public; and
4. To contribute to the achievement of SDGs through promoting the diffusion of innovative technologies around the globe and implementing activities to solve global issues by using IP.

Video on the Introduction of FIT Japan IP Global (link to WIPO website)

The following provides specific initiatives conducted by the FIT Japan IP Global.

1. Support for IP Utilization

(1) Support for SMEs, Startups and Entrepreneurs

In February 2024, the then Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office (JPO), Mr. HAMANO and Director General of the WIPO, Mr. Daren Tang signed a “Cooperation Statement in the Field of Support for SMEs, Startups and Entrepreneurs” regarding the support for SMEs, startups and entrepreneurs through the FIT Japan IP Global. In the cooperation statement, it was agreed that the WIPO and the JPO would work together to strengthen support for SMEs, startups and entrepreneurs in developing countries by sharing and utilizing JPO’s experiences in IP support for startups through the FIT Japan IP Global. Through this, the JPO aims to support 627 SMEs, startups and entrepreneurs by the UN-designated “Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) Day” (June 27, 2026), and ultimately support a total of 1,000 enterprises. Through these support projects, we will work to promote innovation and develop intellectual property systems in developing countries, in order to promote business development for Japanese companies in developing countries. In FY2023, the “Intellectual Property Management Clinic” was launched in the Arab, Latin America and Caribbean regions to provide hands-on support by experts and to formulate IP management strategies. The clinic was launched in Brunei and Laos in March 2024, and in Thailand and Malaysia in September and October 2024 respectively. In addition, the Strategic IP Assist Program, which assigns IP experts to provide advice free of charge was launched in Indonesia in June 2024.

• Laos IP Management Clinic (link to WIPO website)

Mentoring Session (Photo: WIPO Singapore Office)

• IP Management Clinic Mentoring Session, Thailand (link to WIPO website)

Mentoring Session (Photo: WIPO Singapore Office)

In addition to the IP Management Clinic, in May 2023, “The Regional Conference on Intellectual Property for Women in Agribusiness” was held in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, under the theme of “The role of intellectual property for women entrepreneurs engaged in agribusiness in Africa”. A Japanese female entrepreneur participated as a speaker and introduced her experience in starting up business in the agricultural sector and the role of intellectual property in business. More than 100 women participants from the Sub-Saharan Africa region raised awareness on the role of intellectual property in agribusiness field and learned about intellectual property, available tools and resources necessary for business growth. 30 participants in the regional meeting were selected to take follow-up coaching and mentoring, which resulted in cases such as Ms. Peserverance Muzeya, a female entrepreneur in Zimbabwe who recognized the potential of intellectual property in promoting business growth.

• The Regional Conference on Intellectual Property for Women in Agribusiness (link to WIPO website)

Regional Conference (Kigali, Rwanda)

Ms. Peserverance Muzeya, a Female Entrepreneur in Zimbabwe (external link)
(Photo: WIPO)

(2) Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC)

The Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) is an organization established to support innovation and technology transfer in developing countries by promoting the use of technical information, scientific and technical literature, search tools and databases. It has been established in about 1,500 locations (intellectual property offices, universities, research centers and technology parks, etc.) in 93 countries, and provides users with services such as access to and support on patent and non-patent databases, support on prior art searches, and support on commercialization and technology transfer.

FIT Japan IP Global supports initiatives to build TISC network in each region and to improve the skills of TISC staff.

• TISC Network Meeting

  2023: May - Arab region (Alger, Algeria), September - OAPI Member States (Yaoundé, Cameroon)

  2024: June – ARIPO Member States (Harare, Zimbabwe), March – ASEAN (Vienchan, Laos)

• TISC Training Seminar on Patent Analysis

  2024: February – Rio de Janeiro, March – Vienchan, Laos, Phnompen, Cambodia

Representatives from each TISC shared best practices and knowledge, and enhanced collaborative relationship to improve TISC services.

2. Expert Dispatch

As part of the FIT Japan IP Global project, workshops and seminars are held with the aim of promoting accession to, and improving the operation of the Patent Cooperation Treaty, the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs, and the Madrid Protocol (international trademark registration treaty).

The JPO dispatches its staff as lecturers to these workshops and seminars, and as a signatory to the treaties, is also committed to knowledge sharing on the procedures and operational improvements that need to be made for accessing the treaties. The dispatch of experts to the Asia Pacific region began in 1987, and to Africa in 2009, and by 2023, had dispatched about 400 experts to developing countries.

In March 2024, a two-day seminar was held for the staff of the Brazil National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) for improving their operations and practices by sharing the latest trends regarding the Madrid System, JPO’s knowledge and expertise, etc., with more than 200 participants over the two days. A speaker from the local Japanese embassy shared JPO’s knowledge and expertise regarding the latest trends on the Madrid System for international trademark registration, the Madrid e-Filing System (MeF), and the fee payment method for formality examinations, etc. of the Madrid System.

In addition, to support the development of IT human resources in developing countries, FIT Japan IP Global assists the organization of training and workshops based on the needs of each country, as well as dispatching JPO staff as lecturers.

At the “Best Practices Sharing Workshop” held in Laos in November 2023, attended by 14 staff from the IP offices of Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines and Vietnam, JPO staff made a presentation on the activities related to digital services. In November 2023, the “African Regional Workshop” was held in Botswana, attended by 27 staff from ARIPO and the IP offices of Botswana, Cape Verde, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zanzibar, Zambia and Zimbabwe. JPO staff participated online and gave a presentation on JPO’ experiences in digital transformation.

Over 60 staff from the IP offices in the ASEAN and neighboring countries participated in the WIPO-ASEAN IT Business Strategy Workshop held in Thailand from the end of January to February 2024, where WIPO explained about the support on IT systems introduction in emerging countries. JPO staff also participated and introduced initiatives on the utilization of AI technology in examinations.

3. Human Resources Development

FIT Japan IP Global offers a variety of support programs for human resources development in developing countries.

(1) Short-term Fellowship Program

Short-term fellowship program is a part of the human resources development program that provides a week-long inhouse training session at patent firms, etc. for students from developing countries studying in Japan. In 2023, six students from Uzbekistan, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Morocco and Libya participated in the program and learned about Japan’s intellectual property system and the work practices of patent firms.

• Tour of the JPO Office during Short-term Fellowship Program (link to WIPO website)

After the JPO Office Tour

(2) Master’s Degree in Intellectual Property (MIP) Program

The MIP Program is one of the human resources development programs offered by the WIPO Academy, which aims to develop future leaders to be responsible for national economic, science and technology policies from the aspect of intellectual property. Since expanding its support to the African region in 2008 to the present, the FIT Japan IP Global has supported the MIP program which is jointly implemented by WIPO, ARIPO and the Africa University, as well as the program jointly implemented by WIPO, OAPI and the University of Yaoundé II. Specifically, scholarship is granted to approximately 12 students each year who participate in the two programs. To date, 282 graduates who have received FIT Japan IP Global scholarships are active in various countries.

2023 Participants of MIP Program, Africa University
(Photo: Africa University)

2023 FIT Japan IP Global Scholarship Students of MIP Program, Africa University
(Photo: Africa University)

2023 Graduation Ceremony for Participants of MIP Program, University of Yaoundé II
(Photo: OAPI)

(3) Support for the Youth

In September 2023, under the support of FIT Japan IP Global, the WIPO Japan Office held a “Show and Tell Presentation Competition” under the theme of “The Greatness of Innovation and Creativity” for students from elementary school to university. After a preliminary video screening of over 100 entries, 20 finalists (5 finalists from each category of elementary school, junior high school, senior high school and university) were short-listed and invited to deliver 5-minute presentations. A panel of external judges in Japan and abroad representing a broad range of fields made evaluations from the aspects of “originality”, “problem-solving”, “social impact potential”, “narrative” and “expression”, and selected eight winners of the competition.

• 2023 Show and Tell Presentation Competition (link to WIPO website)

Show and Tell Presentation Competition
(Photo: WIPO Japan Office)

FIT Japan IP Global has also supported the creation of a video clip introducing the theme of World Intellectual Property Day 2024 (April 26 every year): “IP and the SDGs: Building our common future with innovation and creativity”. The video clip is available in eight languages on the WIPO website and various SNS sites.

World Intellectual Property Day 2024 video clip on IP and the SDGs:
Building our common future with innovation and creativity（MP4video: 2minutes 1 second）(link to WIPO website)

(4) Female Empowerment

Since 2023, FIT Japan IP Global has been supporting IP-related projects by companies in the region with the aim of promoting economic independence of women in indigenous and local communities in Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, etc., and improving the status of women who are vulnerable within the community. The Fund contributes to the economic independence of indigenous women by providing comprehensive support, including creation of collective trademark logos, preparation of advertising materials, and sales promotion activities for products and services. To date, 19 groups have been supported, and four groups have registered their collective marks with the local community through the projects. FIT Japan IP Global has not only been supporting women of indigenous groups but has also contributed to promoting business and economic development of the local communities through these support projects.

• Participants in the 2023 Project (link to WIPO website)

Participants in the 2023 Project (Photo: WIPO)

4. Digital Innovation Support

FIT Japan IP Global also supports the development of IT infrastructure in developing countries with the aim of improving efficiency and quality of examinations in those countries.

Specifically, (1) support the digitalization of application documents, etc., (2) support the development and data collection of IT systems such as WIPO-IPAS, the administrative processing system of the intellectual property offices, and ASEAN PATENT SCOPE, an ASEAN intellectual property information portal that offers a one-stop reference service for users on published gazette data of each ASEAN IP offices, (3) support the development and dissemination of WIPO-CASE, a system for sharing patent application and examination information (dossier information), and (4) support the organization of IT training programs and workshops for IT human resources development in developing countries. Support on the development of WIPO-CASE began in 2013, and support on the development of ASEAN PATENTESCOPE began in 2015. With the support of FIT Japan IP Global, ASEAN PATENTSCOPE was transitioned to the ASEAN IP Register in 2023.

In 2021, digitalization projects were implemented in Malawi, Thailand, Kenya, and OAPI, the African regional intellectual property office, and a data verification project was carried out in Eswatini, while a data capture project was completed in Zambia. In 2022, full-text digitalization projects were implemented in Malawi and the Philippines. Digitalization projects were implemented in Sri Lanka and OAPI, and the same were completed in Thailand, Malawi, and the Philippines. Data verification projects were implemented in Kenya and Zimbabawe, and one completed in Eswatini. In 2023, full-text conversion projects were implemented in Egypt, the Philippines and Argentina, and digitalization projects were implemented in Zambia, Ecuador, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and OAPI, while data verification projects were implemented in Kenya and OAPI.

5. Other Support Initiatives

FIT Japan IP Global is implementing a variety of initiatives with the aim of supporting the business activities of Japanese companies in developing countries from the aspect of intellectual property.

(1) Hague System Podcast Production

From 2023, the FIT Japan IP Global has been supporting the production of easy-to-understand 15-minute episodes on the benefits and methods of utilizing the Hague System, which are distributed via Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube Podcasts. The aim is to learn about the fascinating world of designs and the role they play through conversations between intellectual property experts and designers from around the world.

WIPOD – Design Talks Page (link to WIPO website)

(2) Mobile App Production

From 2022, the FIT Japan IP Global has supported the creation of AfricDeezayn (mobile app), a digital hub for designers in West Africa, which was launched in 2024. AfricDeezayn distributes information on events, news, and stories for designers, as well as a allow interaction (chats) on the community forum. From 2024, it has supported the production of a mobile app for Arabic-speaking countries.

Introduction of AfricDeezayn (link to WIPO website)

Cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

In cooperation with JICA, the JPO sends staff to developing countries, who are experts on IP systems, for the purpose of improving the IP legal systems and fostering human resources.

(1) Support for Indonesia

Since FY 1993, JPO staff have been dispatched to the Directorate General of Intellectual Property in Indonesia as long-term experts to provide in-house support on the development of the local intellectual property system, human resources development and awareness-raising activities. Currently, one patent examiner is dispatched, and is working to improve the operation of patent examination practices, enhance capabilities of patent, design and trademark examiners, establish quality management system for patent examination, and hold seminars and workshops to promote awareness on intellectual property for local universities and SMEs, as well as preparation of translated materials, etc., thereby contributing to the development and improvement of the local business and investment environment.

JICA’s Long-term Experts in Indonesia

(2) Support for Vietnam

In April 2024, “Strengthening Capacity in Patent and Trademark Examination of the National Intellectual Property Office of Viet Nam Project” was launched, and one patent examiner from the

the JPO was dispatched as a long-term expert to the National Intellectual Property Office of Viet Nam. Main activities of the project include reviews and trials on the improvement of management methods for patent examination practice, preparation of patent examination guidelines for cutting-edge technologies (e.g., biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, etc.), and holding seminars and workshops aimed at improving the skills and capabilities of patent examiners for cutting-edge technologies, thereby, contributing to the improvement and development of the local business and investment environment.

JICA’s Long-term Experts in Vietnam

[Last updated 1 April 2025]

Contact Us

Developing Country Cooperation Section, International Cooperation Division, Policy Planning and Coordination Department, Japan Patent Office Phone：03-6810-7501 Ext.2562