Start of a New Round for the Intellectual Property Promotion Plan

 ■Start of a New Round for the Intellectual Property Promotion Plan

A new round begins for the Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters Committee. I will serve as the Joint Chairperson.

I would like to explain the government’s side first.

○(Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology) Support the founding of a “professional university” that is linked with the industrial world in order to nurture human resources for Cool Japan.

　iU is also a professional university. I see that the positioning was to take on the education of human resources for Cool Japan.

○Establish a content ecosystem.

　This involves various budgetary measures, such as crowdfunding and new forms of fundraising, business examination of blockchain usage (Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry), support for the overseas transmission of broadcasting content (Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts, and Telecommunications and Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and the collection of information on rights for music (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology).

○Countermeasures against piracy.

　Evaluation of countermeasures against leech sites and prohibition of downloads (legislation for blocking is not listed) (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology) and other measures for Cabinet Office; the National Police Agency; the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts, and Telecommunications; the Ministry of Finance; and the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.

○Strategies for new information goods, such as data and AI

　Guidelines for the Unfair Competition Law and contracts for data usage rights (Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry) and principles for database and data exchange markets (Cabinet Secretariat).

　To add, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry will put together approved principles for information entrusting. Based on these principles, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts, and Telecommunications will begin demonstrations. This connection was not seen during the war between the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.

There were many opinions from committee members.

・Amid the conflict between the United States and China, is Japan’s sense of impending crisis showing? How can we stand up to data hegemony? Can we speed up the process?

・The conflict between the United States and China is an opportunity for Japan. We must come up with a thorough intellectual property strategy.

・Top government officials in the United States and China speak about intellectual property. Japan should do the same.

・In terms of the current account balance, income for intellectual property is increasing. Protection in foreign countries and ASEAN is important.

・There are few success cases in China. The country must offer support to build a good relationship.

・Protection between multiple countries is important. Even if China is not in infringement, they will imitate in each genre. China will become strong in Cool Japan content someday. Regulations on anime and games will also be strengthened. We must seriously engage in joint production with China.

Japan’s stance is in question during the conflict between the United States and China, as the EU demonstrates a strong stance. This will become a significant strategic theory.