Outcomes from the Thirteenth Meeting of the Japan-ASEAN Heads of Intellectual Property Offices

On September 6, 2023, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the intellectual property offices (IPOs) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States held the 13th Japan-ASEAN Heads of IP Offices Meeting in Singapore. At this meeting, the JPO and ASEAN IPOs agreed on the FY2023-2024 Japan-ASEAN IP Rights Action Plan, which includes cooperation in human resource development, IP promotion and awareness-raising, and the holding of the 4th Japan-ASEAN Patent Experts Meeting.

Additionally, the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)*1 presented their final report on the study of patent examination practices for emerging technologies (second term) and the utilization of patent information, which was conducted in cooperation with the individual ASEAN IPOs. ERIA also introduced a new survey to be launched in FY2023.

In conjunction with the Japan-ASEAN Heads of IP Offices Meeting, JPO also held bilateral meetings with Laos, Singapore, and Thailand, wherein the continuous promotion of bilateral cooperation was confirmed.

1. Background

ASEAN Member States have been advancing efforts to improve the IP environment in the ASEAN region in accordance with the ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights Action Plan 2016-2025, which was formulated under the framework of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC).

JPO has been cooperating in various ways over the years to support such efforts among ASEAN countries. This August, the Future Design & Action Plan*2 was adopted at the ASEAN Economic Ministers - Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (AEM-METI) Consultation and states that it is necessary to establish high-quality IP services through the ASEAN-Japan Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Meeting, while utilizing IP studies conducted by ERIA, for resolving social issues and creating sustainable economy and society.

Accordingly, the 13th Japan-ASEAN Heads of IP Offices Meeting aimed to further deepen Japan-ASEAN cooperation within the IP field.

2. Summary of outcomes

Outline of the FY2023 Japan-ASEAN IP Rights Action Plan

The JPO reported that all contents of the FY2022 Japan-ASEAN IP Action Plan have been implemented, and agreed on the following items for the FY2023 Action Plan, which confirmed ongoing Japan-ASEAN cooperation:

• - Conducting new studies by ERIA, the study on patent examination practices on remarkable technologies, and the study on branding; (newly added)
• - Holding the 4th Japan-ASEAN Patent Experts Meeting to share information on the development of patent examination guidelines in the field of emerging technologies, as well as patent translation issues;
• - Supporting the accession of ASEAN Member States to the international application system (Madrid Protocol/Hague Agreement), as well as its operation;
• - Promoting cooperation in human resource development and management of examination practices;
• - Promoting cooperation in IP commercialization and awareness-raising with respect to IP;

• - Providing trainings for the ASEAN IP Academy*3

Final report of the studies and introduction of new studies by ERIA

A final report was presented by ERIA on the study of patent examination practices for emerging technologies (second term), and the utilization of patent information.

The contents of the final report on the study of patent examination practices for emerging technologies (Second term) will be used at the 4th Japan-ASEAN Patent Experts Meeting to be held this year. It is expected that the discussions at this expert meeting will promote mutual understanding and harmonization of patent prosecution practices for AI-and-IoT-related inventions in ASEAN countries.

In addition, ERIA introduced new studies: the study on patent examination practices on remarkable technologies such as pharmaceuticals and the study on branding, which will be conducted from this fiscal year.

Bilateral meeting with Laos, Singapore, and Thailand

- JPO held bilateral meetings with the IP offices of Laos, Singapore, and Thailand, wherein the continuous promotion of bilateral cooperation was confirmed.

3. Future actions

JPO will further enrich mutual cooperation with ASEAN IPOs by holding top-level and expert-level meetings and will proactively advance efforts for the development of IP systems in ASEAN Member States. Through these actions, the JPO will strive to help encourage and assist Japanese companies in appropriately protecting their IP rights in ASEAN Member States.

The 13th Japan-ASEAN Heads of IP Offices Meeting

Bilateral meeting with Director General Santisouk (Laos)
*The left is JPO’s Commissioner HAMANO Koichi.

Bilateral meeting with Chief Executive Rena Lee (Singapore)

Bilateral meeting with Director of International Affairs Office Navarat　(Thailand)
*The left is JPO’s Director MATSUSHITA Koichi.

*1 The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) is an international research institute established in Jakarta in June 2008. ERIA conducts policy research and recommendations for deepening economic integration, improving development gaps, and promoting sustainable economic growth in 16 East Asian countries (ASEAN, Japan, China, Korea, India, Australia, and NZ). It also makes recommendations at the summit level, including the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Summit, and conducts policy research upon request.

ERIA website(External link)

Research on Patent Examination Practices for Emerging Technologies in ASEAN Member States (first term)（Published in September, 2021）(External link)

*2 The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), and other business communities have released the "ASEAN-Japan Economic Co-Creation Vision" to mark the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation in 2023, which outlines the future direction of ASEAN-Japan economic co-creation in the new era. In addition, the "Future Design and Action Plan" was agreed at the AEM-METI Consultations held in August 2023, which describes the measures that the governments of ASEAN and Japan will take to realize the ASEAN-Japan Economic Co-Creation Vision.

Final Version of "ASEAN-Japan Economic Co-Creation Vision" and "Future Design and Action Plan" Released (External link)

*3 The ASEAN IP Academy is an ASEAN training institute established in September 2021 to provide training in the field of IP for ASEAN member states.

JPO provided Inaugural Train the Trainers program for the ASEAN IP Academy (October 2021).

JPO and ASEAN IP Academy Collaboration to Provide On-Line Train the Trainers Program (October 2022)

[Last updated 15 September 2023]