The JPO holds bilateral meeting with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

October 18, 2024

Japan Patent Office (JPO) Commissioner ONO and Deputy Commissioner YASUDA held a meeting with Ms. Lisa Jorgenson, Deputy Director General（Patents and Technology）of World Intellectual Property Office（WIPO）, on October 15, 2024, while attending the 42nd Trilateral Heads of Office meeting in Tokyo.During the meeting, Mr. YASUDA, Deputy Commissioner of the JPO signed a Joint Statement of Intent, which was intended to share a common understanding between WIPO and the JPO in order to convey WIPO's cooperation in activities related to DE&I^*１ and to start full-fledged discussions toward the introduction of ePCT^*2 in the JPO.

*1　DE&I（Diversity Equity & Inclusion）：In order to incentivize innovations, it is indispensable to effectively utilize our existing human diversity-including women and youth. Based on this viewpoint, there has been a vitalizing global movement to promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) within the field of IP.

*2　ePCT is a secure browser-based system available in the 10 languages of publication offering a wide range of functions for applicants, IP Offices and third parties. Applicants can file new international applications to participating PCT receiving Offices and manage all subsequent processes using ePCT, and then IP Offices can use the online functions hosted and maintained by WIPO to perform their functions, potentially economizing both the effort and expense required to develop their own electronic systems.

From left, Mr. ONO, Ms. Jorgenson and Mr. YASUDA

Signing the Agreement
Ms. Jorgenson(left) and Mr. YASUDA

[Last updated 22 October 2024]