Address in the Second Year of Presidency

Address in the Second Year of Presidency

–Pave the Way to Making Japan an IP-based Nation in the New Era!–

 

 

 

Yoshihiro SHIMIZU

President

Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA)

 

As I embark on my second year as the president of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA) on April 1, 2020, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your understanding and cooperation in the activities of JPAA during FY2019.

    In the first year of my presidency in FY2019, which also marked the first year of the new Imperial era “Reiwa,” JPAA pushed forward activities throughout the year under the slogan “Make Japan an intellectual property (IP) based nation with hopes and dreams” in the Reiwa era, while leveraging the infrastructure developed during the previous Heisei era.

    JPAA’s activities have centered on the following six policies: 1) strengthening the basis of patent attorneys’ activities; 2) supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); 3) supporting patent attorneys’ international services; 4) activating regional IP; 5) reforming the organization of JPAA; and 6) making rules for reviewing the productivity of JPAA’s activities.

    In particular, in respect to the top-priority policy—strengthening the basis of patent attorneys’ activities—we launched and intensively engaged in the Patent Attorney Kizuna Project, which aims to make Japan an IP-based nation by cultivating IP needs with the great power achieved through collaboration with others. This Patent Attorney Kizuna Project has been implemented with the following ties (or “kizuna” in Japanese) as the main pillars: ties with financial institutions; ties with professionals in other fields; ties with companies; ties with academia, etc.; and ties between patent attorneys. We were able to achieve positive results in each and all of these ties.

    In the second year, I will further advance the Patent Attorney Kizuna Project and other policies under the slogan “Pave the way to making Japan an IP-based nation in the new era!” in order to build the basis for making Japan an IP-based nation in the Reiwa era, while using my experience in last fiscal year.

    The initiatives to be implemented in the second year are outlined below.

 

(1) Implementation of the Patent Attorney Kizuna Project for strengthening collaboration

A. In relation to ties with financial institutions, we conducted a questionnaire survey targeting major and second-tier regional banks, credit unions, and credit cooperatives nationwide. Among the respondents, 186 institutions answered that they were interested in collaboration with patent attorneys. We will continue to hold seminars for financial institutions, which have been held based on the results of this questionnaire, this fiscal year as well, and help more financial institutions to understand that IP represents a key business resource for SMEs which they should keep a focus on. This fiscal year, we will build a system to enable JPAA branch offices to maintain the ties, and pass on the established ties to the branch offices.

 

B. With regard to ties with professionals in other fields, we held exchange meetings with lawyers and SME management consultants last fiscal year. This fiscal year again, we will hold exchange meetings with professionals that can be expected to produce synergy effects through collaboration, such as professional engineers, certified public accountants, certified public tax accountants, and judicial scriveners, in order to provide our members with business opportunities and opportunities to improve service quality through collaboration with other professionals.

 

C. As for ties with companies, we exchanged opinions with the Japan Intellectual Property Association and the Japanese Standards Association so as to deepen our cooperative relationships. This fiscal year, we will plan exchange of opinions with SME-related organizations such as chambers of commerce and industry to enhance our cooperative relationships.

 

D. Regarding ties with academia, etc., we exchanged opinions with the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and requested the JST to send lecturers for training on industry-academia collaboration provided for our members. This fiscal year, we will collaborate with the University Network for Innovation and Technology Transfer (UNITT) and hold exchange meetings for matching between universities and patent attorneys versed in cutting-edge technology.

 

E. With regard to ties between patent attorneys, we will strengthen coordination between non-firm patent attorneys, such as corporate patent attorneys, and firm patent attorneys, and consider measures and specific methods for realizing an increase in the IP presence in companies and society. In addition, we will continue to hold seminars for matching between patent attorneys for the purpose of business succession or alliance between firms, just as in last fiscal year.

 

(2) Support for utilization of IP by companies

We will continue to provide the Patent Attorney IP Caravans Ver. 2 (IP business consultation service) by enhancing the support contents from last year. Also, as a new measure, we will hold a Business Plan Contest (tentative name), inviting business plans from SMEs and startups. We will provide consultation services for utilization of IP and support for filing IP applications to prize-winning companies.

 

(3) Strengthening of IP dissemination activities and raising of the recognition of the patent attorney profession

We will continue to carry out publicity activities based on short- to medium-term publicity strategies, which have been implemented since FY2018. In addition, in order to expand JPAA’s presence overseas, we will open exhibition booths at international conferences and hold seminars. 

 

(4) Amendment of the Patent Attorneys Act

Based on a resolution at the second extraordinary general meeting held in FY2019, we will carry out activities toward realizing amendment of the Patent Attorneys Act (amendment concerning services relating to agricultural and fishery IP, the corporation system, etc.).

 

(5) Reinforcement of the basis for patent attorneys’ business

In order to respond to calls for increased efficiency in office infrastructure and work-style reform, we will investigate and research IT tools, such as robotic process automation (RPA), telework devices, groupware, and chat tools, and provide our members with information on methods for introducing IT tools and case examples. In addition, in an effort to support our member’s international services, this fiscal year again, we will plan to hold the Asia tour, which was well-received last fiscal year.

 

(6) Support to activate regional IP

We will increase opportunities for the JPAA head office and branch offices to communicate with each other, such as holding meetings for exchange of opinions with the Board of Executive Directors via a teleconference system. We will also introduce a new transportation expenses settlement system to facilitate branch office members to settle transportation expenses as well as to promote paperless work.

 

(7) Organizational reform of JPAA

Based on the analysis results of medium- to long-term issues collected from various organizations during FY2019, we will envisage a future model of patent attorneys, and consider an action plan including a plan to make rules for reviewing the productivity of JPAA’s activities. We will also appoint highly specialized personnel to assist executive directors, and allocate such personnel to the President’s Office. In addition, we will introduce a teleconference system, chat tool, automated meeting minutes generator, etc. in committees, etc., and aim to increase the efficiency of committee meeting affairs through the use of IT tools.

 

(8) Other

We will review the ideal use of JPAA’s conference rooms, etc. including the JPAA Lounge on the first floor of the Benrishi-Kaikan which was renovated in FY2019. Also, we will conduct investigation and research on matters concerning IP related to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and launch a Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Working Group to cooperate toward the success of the Tokyo Olympics.

 

    This fiscal year will be the year to complete the missions of the policies above. Your continued support and cooperation will be greatly appreciated.