News from the Japan Patent Office (JPO)

The first heads meeting of IP training centers of Japan, China and Korea

- The tenth- year-cooperation of the trilateral patent offices has progressed in the field of human resources development - August 23, 2010.
The trilateral partnership among patent offices in Japan, China and Korea marks its tenth anniversary this year. To deepen this partnership, the heads meeting of the trilateral intellectual property (IP) training centers was held for the first time in Seoul, Korea, on August 23 and discussed mutual cooperation.
Cooperation among the trilateral training centers is expected to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the development of human resources in the IP field, and eventually create a better environment for IP protection in each country.
1. Background
The Japan Patent Office (JPO), the State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China (SIPO), and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), held the First Trilateral Policy Dialogue Meeting in 2001. Since then the three patent offices have developed a favorable relationship through cooperation in holding expert meetings and joint events in areas such as the application of IT to IP rights administration and patent examination practices.
To further the cooperation on human resources development in particular, the three offices agreed at their Ninth Trilateral Policy Dialogue Meeting in December last year to organize a heads meeting to discuss mutual cooperation on training among training centers related to IP human resources development in the three countries.
2. Results of the meeting
On August 23, the heads of trilateral training centers—the National Center for Industrial Property Information and Training (INPIT) of Japan, the China Intellectual Property Training Center (CIPTC) of China, and the International Intellectual Property Training Institute (IIPTI) of Korea—met together in Seoul, Korea, to hold the First Heads Meeting of IP Training Centers of Japan, China and Korea. During the meeting, the three representatives discussed their efforts to develop IP talent, exchanged information on materials for IP education, and confirmed that the trilateral IP training centers would continue cooperation.
The meeting is expected to help enhance the trilateral cooperation in the development of IP-related human resources, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of such development, and eventually create a better environment for IP protection in each country.
3. Next step of the trilateral cooperation
The next (Tenth) Trilateral Policy Dialogue Meeting among the JPO, SIPO and KIPO will take place in Nara, Japan, in December this year for discussions toward enhanced cooperation among the trilateral patent offices.
The JPO will continue its effort to strengthen partnership with overseas IP authorities with a view to laying the groundwork for a global IP framework.
4. Division in Charge
International Affairs Division, General Affairs Department, Japan Patent Office, Human Resources Development Department, National Center for Industrial Property Information and Training