Outcomes of the Ninth Japan-ASEAN Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Meeting held in Tokyo (August 2019)

On August 6, 2019, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) held the Ninth Japan-ASEAN Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Meeting in Tokyo. The meeting adopted the Japan-ASEAN Joint Statement for Intellectual Property 2019 and agreed on the FY2019 Japan-ASEAN Action Plan on Intellectual Property Cooperation.

Additionally, on August 7, 2019, they held the ASEAN Intellectual Property Offices Symposium 2019.

1. Background

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States have been advancing efforts for improving the intellectual property (IP) environment, as seen in their formulation of the ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights Action Plan 2016-2025 under the framework of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC).

Since 2012, the JPO and IP offices in ASEAN Member States have been regularly holding Japan-ASEAN Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Meetings and establishing close cooperative ties.

The Ninth Japan-ASEAN Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Meeting was held in Tokyo on August 6, 2019, aiming to further advance Japan-ASEAN IP cooperation.

2. Summary of the outcomes

(1) Adoption of the Japan-ASEAN Joint Statement for Intellectual Property

The JPO and IP offices in ASEAN Member States adopted a Japan-ASEAN Joint Statement for Intellectual Property. This adoption is expected to facilitate the consolidation of the cooperation framework for development of patent examination manuals in the field of emerging technologies; and the establishment of another cooperation framework for addressing translation issues that may arise in the patent application process; while maintaining the conventional cooperation.

• Japan-ASEAN Joint Statement for Intellectual Property 2019 (PDF:158KB)

(2) Agreement on the FY2019 Japan-ASEAN IP Rights Action Plan

At the Ninth Japan-ASEAN Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Meeting, based on the details of the Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on Industrial Property concluded in 2012, the two sides agreed on the following plans, under which they will continue the existing Japan-ASEAN cooperation in parallel with the launch of new cooperation efforts:

• Sharing information on translation issues that may arise in the patent application process of patent applications so as to meet the demand of the applicants;
• Investigation and research by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) into patent examination systems of Japan and ASEAN Member States in the field of emerging technologies;
• Cooperation in accession of ASEAN Member States to the international application system (Madrid Protocol/Hague Agreement) and cooperation in the management thereof;
• Cooperation in human resource development and management of examination practices; and
• Cooperation in IP commercialization and awareness-raising of IP.

3. Convening of the ASEAN Intellectual Property Offices Symposium 2019

A symposium was held in Tokyo aimed at sharing information with users in Japan on the latest IP systems and measures in ASEAN Member States.

At the beginning of the symposium, Mr. Akira Matsunaga, Commissioner of the JPO, made a speech and stressed the importance of ASEAN markets. Following this, 12 representatives of ASEAN Member States, including commissioners of IP offices, made speeches focusing on the subjects of "the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Patents," "Start-Ups and IP Policies," and "Providing Information and Public Awareness on IP" and participants held discussions on each of these subjects.

JPO Commissioner with Heads of the ASEAN IP Offices

[Last updated 16 February 2024]

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