WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONIP/C/W/154/Add.1
14 October 1999
(99-4401)
Council for Trade-Related Aspects
of Intellectual Property RightsOriginal:  English
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES:  INFORMATION FROM
DEVELOPED COUNTRY MEMBERS
JAPAN
Addendum
The present document reproduces the updated information on Japan's technical and financial
cooperation activities relevant to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement, which has been
received from the Permanent Mission of Japan by means of a communication, dated 1 October 1999.
_______________
I. TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL
PROPERTY RIGHTS
1. Human Resources Development
(a) 1000 Trainee ProgrammeSince April 1996, the Japanese Patent Office (JPO) has been carrying out a cooperative
programme, called the "1000 Trainee Programme", in order to assist the development of human
resources in the field of industrial property rights for developing countries.  The programme's target is
to invite a total of 1000 people from government and private sectors mainly in the Asia-Pacific region
to Japan to participate in training courses by the year 2000, which is the time-limit for developing
countries to comply with the WTO TRIPS Agreement.
From 1996 until the end of Japanese fiscal year 1998, a total of 739 participants were
accepted from government organizations and private companies from 34 countries and one economy
(Chinese Taipei).
(i) Training programmes for government officialsThe JPO holds the following five group training courses on industrial property rights for
government officials annually.
- For APEC member economies
"Group Training Course in Industrial Property  for APEC Economies" is for administrative
officials working in areas related to IPR and examiners of IPR offices (training period - two months).
Participants are divided into four groups accordin g to their specialties: administration, patents and
utility models, industrial designs, and trademarks.IP/C/W/154/Add.1
Page 2
- For non-APEC economies
"Group Training Course in Administration of Industrial Property", focusing more specifically
on administrative aspects for the benefit of government officials in the area of IPR (training period -one month).
"Group Training Course in Examination Practi ce on Industrial Property" is for examiners of
IPR offices (training period - two months).  Partic ipants are divided into three groups according to
their specialties: patents and utility models, industrial designs, and trademarks.
These three training courses are managed by the JPO in cooperation with the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Asia-Pacific Industrial Property Center of the
Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation (APIC, JIII).
- For Economic and Social Communication for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) 
region
"Training course for IP Administration and Enforcement of IPR under the WIPO Funds-in-
Trust/Japan" is for administrative officials in ar eas related to IPR (training period - two weeks).
"Training course for IP Information and Office Automation in the field of IP under the WIPO
Funds-in-Trust/Japan" is for officials of IPR office s (training period - two weeks).  Participants are
divided into three groups according to their specialties: patents and utility models, industrial designs,
and trademarks.
These two training courses are managed by the JPO and organized by the World Intellectual
Property Organization (WIPO) in cooperation with APIC, JIII.
(ii) Training programmes for the private sectorThe JPO also held the following group training courses on industrial property rights for
trainees from the private sector.
- For APEC member economies
The programmes were divided into two categories: the course for management and the course
for operational staff.
"Industrial Property Rights Training Course fo r Management" [held twice a year] (training
period - two weeks)
Participants of the course are from middle and senior management personnel or equivalent
positions in private companies, law firms, research institutes and educational organizations.
"Industrial Property Rights Training Course for Operational staff" [held six times a year]
(training period - three-four weeks)
Trainees who participate in the course are from operational staff in private companies, law
firms, research institutes and educational organizations.
- For non-APEC economiesIP/C/W/154/Add.1
Page 3
"Training Programme on Industrial Property Management" (training period - two and a half
weeks)
The participants are from middle and senior management personnel or equivalent positions in
private companies, law firms, research institutes and educational organizations.
These training courses were conducted by APIC, JIII with the assistance of the Association
for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS).
(b) Long-term fellowship
Under the project called long-term fellowshi p funded by WIPO Funds-in-Trust/Japan, an
Associate professor from the Philippines and a Justice from Thailand were invited to Japan to study
the intellectual property issues for a period of six months.
(c) The APEC/PFP Project (Overseas Training Programme)
"Partners for Progress" (PFP) is a mechanism to further promote economic and technical
cooperation on the basis of mutual assistance and voluntarism in APEC.  The PFP project on
industrial property rights was endorsed at the APEC Senior Official Meeting held in Cebu, the
Philippines on 22 May 1996.  This APEC/PFP course aims to foster a deeper understanding of the
establishment and management of industrial property systems by developing human resources to meetinternational obligations with respect to industrial property protection.
In February and March 1997, the Government of Thailand conducted the first course in
collaboration with the Government of Japan through the JICA.  The second course was also held in
Thailand in November and December 1997.  The third course was also held in Thailand in Octoberand November 1998.
(d) Expert missions
In the 20 years until 1998, the JPO has dispatched 293 experts including patent experts to
intellectual property offices in developing countries: 111 experts through the WIPO Funds-in-
Trust/Japan, 146 for the JICA technical cooperation projects, and 36 for other purposes.
(e) Symposia
(i) WIPO Asian Regional Forum
In October 1998, the Asian Regional Forum (formerly called WIPO Round Table)
under the WIPO Funds-in-Trust/Japan was held  in Tokyo with the theme "Intellectual
Property Policy Development".  The Forum invited senior officials from intellectual
property offices in the 22 Asian countries to meet and exchange views on the Forum's
theme.
(ii) WIPO Asian Regional Symposium
The WIPO Asian Regional Symposium on Intellectual Property and Information
Technology was held in Beijing in March 1998.  Discussions took place in theSymposium on policy and the practical considerations of using information
technology for establishing database, network connectivity and supporting the
modernization of intellectual property systems.IP/C/W/154/Add.1
Page 4
2. Computerization and Information Processing
(a) Development of an information searching system
The Government of Japan provides a cooperation programme to establish the
Industrial Property Information Center (IPIC) in Thailand under JICA project-type
technical cooperation.
Under this cooperation project, patent information and JPO office automation know-
how will be provided to Thailand.  For smooth technical transfer, the Government of
Japan will provide necessary equipment, dispatch experts, and offer training
programmes in Japan for Thai trainees.
With the above cooperation, the efficiency of patent examination in the Department
of Intellectual Property of Thailand will be improved and technological information
will be provided to the public as a result.  The Government of Japan will contribute to
the modernization of the industrial property administration and development of Thaiindustry as a whole.
(b) Development of a modern industrial property administration system
The Government of Japan started a cooperation programme to establish the
Modernization of Industrial Property Administration (MIPA) in the Philippines under
the JICA project-type technical cooperation in May 1999.
Under this cooperation project, JPO office automation know-how will be provided to
the Philippines.  For a smooth technical transfer, the Government of Japan willprovide necessary equipment, dispatch experts, and offer training programmes in
Japan for trainees from the Philippines.
With the above cooperation, the efficiency of patent office administration procedure
in the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines will be improved and
modernization will result.
(c) Development of trademark retrieval and administration systems
The Government of Japan dispatched a long-term expert to the Philippines to improve
their trademark retrieval system and provide support for establishing a trademark
application processing system.
(d) Modernization of Industrial property Administration
The Government of Japan dispatched a preliminary study team to Viet Nam in
January of this year and a supplementary study team in August.  The Government ofJapan will launch the project in or around the spring of 2000.
(e) Provision of the "Patent Abstracts of Japan (PAJ)" on CD-ROM
Since 1995, the JPO has been providing about 80 national offices and other
organizations all over the world with the PAJ, which is a collection of English-
translated abstracts of Japanese patent applications, on CD-ROM.IP/C/W/154/Add.1
Page 5
(f) Provision of IP laws on CD-ROM
Intellectual property laws of Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia,
Italy, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea,
Thailand, the United States and the European Patent Office were collected on  CD-ROM.  In compiling the CD-ROM, non-English IP laws were translated into English.
The CD-ROMs were then sent to the APEC countries.
3. Assistance in Search and Examination
(a) Cooperation in patent examination
In 1994, the JPO started a cooperation programme in the field of patent search and
examination with Thailand and sent final examination reports on the patent
applications filed in both Japan and Thailand by Japanese applicants.
The JPO sent final reports for 74 cases in 1995 and 89 cases in 1996.The JPO started the same cooperation programme with Indonesia.  The number of
reports sent to Indonesia were 101 and 55 in 1995 and 1996 respectively.
Since 1998, the JPO has been providing examination results under a new scheme,
which includes patent information obtained from the USPTO and EPO, in addition to
that of the JPO.  The number of reports sent to Thailand and Indonesia in 1999 was
96 in total.
(b) Prior art search for private sectors and patent offices
The JPO provides up to 100 search reports per year for the government and private
sectors in developing countries and economies, mainly in the Asia-Pacific region,
upon their request to the WIPO International Bureau.
II. TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF COPYRIGHT
The Japan Copyright Office (JCO) has been planning and carrying out the following
programmes with a view to contributing to th e development of copyright systems in developing
countries as well as to strengthening regional cooperation among Asia-Pacific countries.
1. APACE Programme (since 1993)
This programme, which is called "APACE (Asia-Pacific Copyright Systems Enhancement)
Programme", was started in 1993 in cooperation with WIPO, targeting Asia-Pacific countries.  The
APACE Programme consists of the following four activities.
(a) Annual Regional Symposium (since 1993)
1993:  in Tokyo, Japan (100 participants from 19 countries)1994:  in Phuket, Thailand (60 participants from 22 countries)
1995:  in Denpasar, Indonesia (100 participants from 17 countries)
1996:  in Chiang Mai, Thailand (60 participants from 23 countries)IP/C/W/154/Add.1
Page 6
1997:  in Manila, the Philippines (100 participants from 27 countries)
1998:  in Islamabad, Pakistan (70 participants from 24 countries)
(b) Training Program in Tokyo (since 1994)
1994:  5 participants (from China, India, Indonesia and Mongolia)1995:  4 participants (from the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam)1996:  5 participants (from Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Tonga)1997:  8 participants (from Bhutan, China, Indone sia, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines
and the Republic of Korea)
1998:  8 participants (from Cambodia, Fiji, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Samoa, Thailand, and
Viet Nam)
(c) Sub-Regional Seminar (since 1995)
1995:  in Suva, Fiji (30 participants from 12 countries)1997:  in Nuku'alofa, Tonga (30 participants from 10 countries)1998:  in Apia, Samoa (80 participants from 13 countries)
(d) Experts Missions (since 1999)
This programme is to be started in 1999, the purpose of which is to assist the countries in
setting up or operating a collective management society.
2. Asian Copyright Experts Invitation Programme (since 1996)
This programme was started in 1996 to invite each year a high official in charge of copyright
from governments of Asian countries.  Lecture and discussion meetings are organized, inviting
Japanese experts to share information and learn from each other.  The guests have been invited from
the following countries.
1996:  Thailand
1997:  the Republic of Korea1998:  Hong Kong, China1999:  Singapore
3. Asia-Pacific Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Seminar (since 1997)
This programme was started in 1997, to provide participating copyright experts of Asia-
Pacific countries with opportunities to exchange information and viewpoints as well as to discuss
possible regional common positions and/or actions in the future.IP/C/W/154/Add.1
Page 7
1997:  in Yokohama (40 participants from 7 countries)
1998:  in Tokyo (80 participants from 14 countries and 3 NGOs)1999:  in Tokyo (80 participants from 26 countries and 3 NGOs)
4. JICA Group Training Course (since 1999)
This training course was started in 1999 in cooperation with JICA (Japan International
Cooperation Agency), to contribute to the development of copyright systems for non-Asian
jurisdictions.
1999:  7 participants (from Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Samoa
and Zambia).
1999: 7 participants (from Fiji, Kiribati, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea (2) and Tonga).
III. TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF PLANT
VARIETY PROTECTION
Through the UPOV Trust Fund of Japan, the Government of Japan has supported a
programme which provides Asian countries with se minars and workshops on plant variety protection
systems.
The seminars have been held since Japanese fiscal year 1991 for the purpose of contributing
to the promotion and establishment of the plant variety protection systems.  In addition, the workshop
scheme has been set up since Japanese fiscal year 1996, in order to provide some practical knowledge
and technique relating to the plant variety protection.
Details of the seminars and the workshops which have been held are as follows:1991 - Regional Seminar, 14 participants from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Thailand, held in Japan.
1992 - Regional Seminar, 13 participants from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand, held in the Republic of Korea.
1993 - Regional Seminar, 18 participants from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and the Republic of Korea, held in China.
1994 - National Seminars in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and the Philippines.
1995 - Regional Seminar, 16 participants from Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, the
Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam, held in Indonesia.
1996 - National Seminars in India and Bangladesh
Regional Seminar, 7 participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand,
held in Viet Nam
International Seminar, 10 participants from Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russian
Federation, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, held in Kyrgyz Republic.IP/C/W/154/Add.1
Page 8
1997 - Workshop, 64 participants from Asia-Pacific countries, in cooperation with APSA
(Asia Pacific Seed Association), held in Australia.
1998 - Workshop, 14 participants from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the
Republic of Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam, in cooperation with WIPO, held in the UnitedKingdom.
1999 - International Seminar, 10 participants from Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of
Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam, held in China
Workshop, 7 participants from Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand,
in cooperation with WIPO, held in the United Kingdom.
IV. TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF BORDER
MEASURES
In 1997, the Ministry of Finance, the Government of Japan started a training course in the
field of border measures for the enforcement of intellectual property rights.  The purpose of thisprogramme is to assist in the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement by developing countries in the
Asia-Pacific region.
Details of the programme which has been held are as follows:
1997 - 5 to 14 March, participants from China and Indonesia, held in Japan.
1997 - 5 to 14 November, participants from the Philippines and Viet Nam, held in Japan.1998 - 11 to 20 November, participants from Thailand and Peru, held in Japan.
__________