|
|
|
|
|
Report
No.240903 |
|
|
|
|
- Domestic - |
|
|
MAFF Adopts Intellectual Property Strategy On March 22, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries held a meeting of MAFF's Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters, and adopted the Intellectual Property Strategy to create and make use of intellectual properties in the agriculture sector. So as to help the Japanese agriculture to compete in the international market, technology will be developed to produce high-value-added agricultural and livestock products. A measure will be enhanced to protect a right of variety breeders and other stakeholders. The strategy contains measures to be implemented for the next three years and a progress schedule. The agriculture sector has a wide variety of intellectual properties including not only new varieties of plants and genetic resources of "Wagyu" cattle and other animals, but also agricultural technology and know-how, and regional brands (trademarks). The strategy aims to add values to agricultural products by making use of those properties for export and regional agriculture promotion. For making use of intellectual properties, the research and technology development sector will create new varieties such as highly cold tolerant rice plants with using the generic information elucidated. Support will be provided to efforts for the creation of new demand based on the research on the functionality and other subjects. In addition, a network will be established in FY 2008 to centralize the information on research and development in the agriculture sector. For producers a guideline will be developed by September 2007 to position the production technology and know-how as the intellectual property so as to protect it. Moreover, an adviser will be sent to a rural area to promote the branding of agricultural products in the region. In FY 2007, unified logo marks will be adopted for "Wagyu" and fruits so as to promote the export of those products as Japan brand. Regarding the protection of intellectual properties, as the infringement of a right of variety breeders presents a problem in foreign countries, the ministry will propose to establish the "Forum for Plant Variety Protection" as soon as in October 2007. This forum aims to facilitate the protection of varieties, technical cooperation and human resources development in Eastern Asia. |
||
|
|
||
 |
 |