International Activities

JIPA Representatives to Myanmar, Thai, and Singapore

JIPA sent 8-member representative delegation led by the leader Nobutoshi Mori to Myanmar, Thai, and Singapore from December 14 to 19, 2013. The dispatch of the delegation to South- East Asia is the first time since 2008, reflecting growing demand for strengthening of Japan-ASEAN relationship & ASEAN IP information.

Myanmar
Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), JETRO Yangon, Rajah & Tann LLP

Thailand
Thai Department of Intellectual Property, IPG & JETRO Bangkok, Tilleke & Gibbins,

Singapore
Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, felicite IP Consulting

Major goals include: in Myanmar, to collect IP and license information necessary for Japanese companies to launch business in Myanmar, while the IP system is under construction in cooperation with JPO and WIPO this year; in Thailand, to grasp the progress of the draft revision of the Patent Law and the Trademark Law that had been presented in 2008; and in Singapore, to ask for the further progress of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) in which the Singapore Patent Office acts as a chairperson.

The visit was timely, since this year is the 40th anniversary of Japan-ASEAN Partnership and the special top-level meeting held in Tokyo was thus reported in news on TV and radio during the visit. Not only frank but meaningful discussion was conducted at any organization, which also forged the relationship with each organization.

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