Active cooperation with Africa reaffirmed during the Council of Ministers of ARIPO

December 4, 2025

Mr. YASUDA Futoshi, Deputy Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office (JPO), participated in the 20th session of the Council of Ministers^*1 of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO)^*2, which was held in Accra, Ghana, from November 21 to 22, 2025.

During the opening ceremony, Mr. YASUDA expressed his belief that in order to solve today's social problems and promote economic development, it is important to properly protect new innovations through the intellectual property system, as well as to create an environment wherein intellectual property rights can be utilized. In addition, he expressed his commitment to continue working with ARIPO to strengthen the foundation of the intellectual property system in Africa.

Mr. YASUDA held a bilateral meeting with the head of ARIPO while attending the council, during which he confirmed the JPO's continued cooperation with African countries in the field of intellectual property. This cooperation is achieved through support utilizing the Funds-in-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global—a voluntary contribution made by the JPO to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)—as well as through human resource development initiatives such as training invitation programs.

*1 The Council of Ministers is the highest decision-making body of ARIPO, which is attended by the ministers responsible for Intellectual Property in ARIPO member countries. The JPO is also invited every year as a cooperative partner of ARIPO.
*2 ARIPO is a regional intellectual property organization comprising 22 mainly English-speaking member countries.

Bilateral Meeting with ARIPO
Mr. YASUDA, Deputy Commissioner, JPO
and Mr. Twebaze, Director General, ARIPO

[Last updated 4 December 2025]