International Activities

Fair Trade Committee: Sending Study Group to Singapore and Thailand

The Fair Trade Committee engages in research and study on legal systems and practices regarding protection of trade secrets. Focusing on the ASEAN countries where Japanese companies are doing business, while bearing in mind the necessity to prevent leakage of trade secrets via employees, JIPA sent a study group to Singapore, where information on ASEAN countries gathers, and Thailand, where the trade secret law was amended last year. The study group visited these two countries from July 3 to 9, 2016.

In Singapore, with the support of JETRO Singapore, the study group visited the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), and conducted a study discussing their opinions with IPOS staff with regard to Singaporean law on trade secrets. The group also visited several local law firms to study and discuss trade secret infringement cases and practical measures to prevent leakage of trade secrets. It further visited the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) to learn about the circumstances concerning resolution of international disputes over intellectual property including trade secrets.

After moving to Thailand, the study group visited the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) with the support of JETRO Bangkok, and conducted a study discussing their opinions with DIP staff with regard to the amended trade secret law. The group also visited local law firms and companies to study and discuss trade secret infringement cases and practical measures to prevent leakage of trade secrets.

Having visited various entities in Singapore and Thailand, the study group learned that the administrative authorities were becoming more aware of the importance of protection of trade secrets in both countries. Also through discussions with law firms and companies, it recognized a growing interest in protection of trade secrets among practitioners.

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