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Myanmar’s IP Strategy Inspection Team visits JIPA

The Intellectual Property Strategy Inspection Team from Myanmar visited JIPA on May 27, 2013, and had a meeting with the members of JIPA Asia Project to exchange opinions. A few days before the meeting, Prime Minister Abe visited Myanmar, marking the first visit of a Japanese prime minister in 36 years, and announced collaboration between Myanmar and Japan in both the public and private sectors and promised a huge amount of financial support. Moreover, the Project members will participate in a meeting scheduled next month in Tokyo to discuss the IP system in Myanmar.
The final frontier in Asia is suddenly drawing a great deal of attention.

At the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Kuji (JIPA Executive Managing Director) and Dr. Thwe (Myanmar Team Leader) exchanged greetings. Then Mr. Nishio (JIPA Secretary General) made a presentation on the history, organization and activities of JIPA.

According to the Myanmar members, recognizing the importance of intellectual property in economic exchanges, they are currently developing an IP system and a patent office, with cooperation from WIPO and JPO, through the united efforts of the public and the private sectors. They also explained that they did not have many experts on intellectual property, that human resources should be urgently developed and that education of the public would be necessary. They indicated that information about JIPA’s activities was very helpful. Mr. Lwin from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Chamber of Commerce and Industry requested that JIPA dispatch lecturers to Myanmar to provide IP education.

JIPA started the working team this year, which is helping to strengthen collaboration with ASEAN countries. It will collect timely and vital information so that it can help Japanese companies doing business in Myanmar, in addition to other activities, in line with our slogan: “To be counted on by the world and to lead the world. Creating - IP Vision for the World-”

[Update 2013-06-05 ]