Message from the president

I. Introduction

　Japan faces persistent economic stagnation due to its low percentage of intellectual property (IP) and intangible assets in corporate assets and sluggish investments in research and development compared to other major countries. In order to swiftly emerge from the current situation and revitalize the Japanese economy, it is necessary to enhance the value of companies’ IP and intangible assets. Therefore, it is an urgent task to achieve a more extensive use of the IP system, which guarantees economic benefits to those who create IP.
　Patent attorneys, who are IP experts, should take on the challenge of engaging in work discovered from new perspectives for achieving a more extensive use of the IP system, so as to guide companies to enhance the value of their IP and intangible assets. Such endeavor will help to create an environment in which companies recognize the added value of patent attorneys and patent attorneys can receive appropriate compensation, and will help to attract talented human resources to the IP industry.
　This fiscal year, which is my first year of presidency, we will push forward initiatives aimed at revitalizing the Japanese economy through supporting companies’ new business activities by using IP, increasing the presence of patent attorneys, and supporting patent attorneys’ activities, while carrying on the policies that had been promoted in the previous fiscal year under the foundation that has been built thus far.
　I will explain the contents of the initiatives below. Some initiatives are only introduced as headings since the contents are easily apparent.

II. Outline of initiatives

　Based on such concept, we will aim to revitalize the Japanese economy through projects and initiatives for the respective purposes of (i) supporting companies’ new business activities, (ii) increasing the presence of patent attorneys, and (iii) supporting patent attorneys’ activities.

1. Major projects and initiatives
We will carry out major projects and initiatives that will serve as priority initiatives regarding the purposes of (i) through (iii) above. These include presenting role models of patent attorneys who are active in various fields and strengthening the IP Business Management Support Network . In addition, we will appropriately advance efforts as a Co-creation Partner of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.

2. Projects and initiatives
We will carry out projects and initiatives for the respective purposes of (i) supporting companies’ new business activities, (ii) increasing the presence of patent attorneys, and (iii) supporting patent attorneys’ activities. Specific examples include studies for enhancing the economic value of IP, initiatives for standardization and those for revitalization of agricultural, forestry, and fisheries IP, promotion of digital transformation (DX) of paperwork, and initiatives relating to the system of global assessment of the JPAA’s activities.

III. Specific initiatives

1．Major initiatives

(1) Presentation of role models
　We will introduce various role models by referring to patent attorneys who are active in a variety of activities, including specialized services. By introducing examples of patent attorneys who contribute to society and earn high compensation, we will convey the value of patent attorneys to young patent attorneys, aspiring patent attorneys, and companies, and improve their appeal. Moreover, we will pass on the skills necessary for carrying out the work of the role models to all our members. As a result, we aim to expand the scope of our activities, increase our income, and acquire talented human resources.
　We will send out information on the respective models to all our members, and share the skills necessary for carrying out these new types of work in training. Further, we will actively send out information also to outside so that talented human resources will join the IP industry and companies will recognize the new types of patent attorneys’ work.
(2) Strengthening IP business management support
　JPAA will strengthen its activities in the “IP Business Management Support Network” in which the Japan Patent Office (JPO), the National Center for Industrial Property Information and Training (INPIT), the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), and also recently the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency participate.
　In projects relating to the “IP Business Management Support Network,” we will make recommendations to the JPO regarding the ways in which patent attorneys could become more actively involved, and in order to strengthen support that helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups see tangible results, we will reinforce initiatives for ensuring the abilities of patent attorneys who can be involved in IP business management support (e.g., lectures, workshops, and on-the-job training, etc.).
(3) Response to the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan
　As a Co-creation Partner of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, we aim to promote participation of young generations and develop human resources who will lead the future innovation, by arousing children’s interest in technological development and disseminating the importance of IP, and thereby increase the presence of patent attorneys.

2．Projects and initiatives

ⅰ．Projects and initiatives for supporting companies’ new business activities (Purpose (i))

(1) Studies for enhancing the economic value of IP and corporate value

　We will compare the economic value of IP in Japan with that in other countries and consider initiatives to conduct publicity activities for enhancing the economic value of IP and corporate value in Japan. We will make it easier to understand investments in IP and intangible assets that enhance corporate value, and support revitalization of companies’ economic activities.

(2) Consideration of the practice of patent attorneys that adapt to the generative artificial intelligence (AI) era

　In order to enable patent attorneys to respond to generative AI, which evolves on a daily basis, we will continue with our research for utilizing AI tools, and send out information on future prospects, etc. as well as conducting training.

(3) Strengthening efforts concerning standardization

　In order for patent attorneys to be able to play an active role as “human resources for standardization strategies” and “human resources for planning, development, and negotiations,” we will continue with our research concerning standardization, and foster patent attorneys through training.

(4) Revitalization of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries-related activities

　We will continue with our research and study for creating an environment suitable for patent attorneys, who are IP experts, to be actively involved in agricultural, forestry, and fisheries IP, and to revitalize agricultural, forestry, and fisheries industries, and we will also strengthen collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries so as to increase the opportunities for activity.

(5) Studies on protection of content IP

　We will gather information and consider utilization of the protection under the IP system in the IP field of the content industry, and aim to foster patent attorneys who can be involved in content business and protection of related IP.

ⅱ. Projects and initiatives for increasing the presence of patent attorneys (Purpose (ii))

(1) Response to amendment of the Patent Attorneys Act
　We will develop an environment that does not hinder smooth execution of work when patent attorneys support corporate activities by widely using the IP system in order to play the role of IP experts.
(2) Sending out information from Japan to overseas
　We will continue with our activity to send out information on the attractiveness of the Japanese IP system, and also conduct publicity activities concerning anti-counterfeiting measures and border control measures.
(3) Publicity strategy for informing the public of the activities of patent attorneys and JPAA
　We will consider initiatives for informing the public of the activities of patent attorneys and JPAA.
(4) Expansion of the patent attorney referral system
(5) Continuing the upgrading of the Japan Patent Attorney Search
(6) Promotion of IP creative education
　We will promote IP creative education in universities, and also promote IP creative education, the Patent Contest / Design Patent Contest, etc. in elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools, and colleges of technology.

ⅲ. Projects and initiatives for supporting patent attorneys’ activities (Purpose (iii))

(1) Collaboration with the JPO and other related ministries and agencies and related organizations, etc.
(A) Strengthening collaboration between the JPO and JPAA
　We will publish role models, conduct events at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, and conduct new activities (awareness-raising, dissemination, research, education, etc. of IP) in cooperation with the JPO.
(B) Strengthening the cooperative frameworks with the Regional Bureaus of Economy, Trade and Industry, etc. and with the regional branches of JPAA
　We will continue our cooperative frameworks with the Regional Bureaus of Economy, Trade and Industry, etc. in various regions. We will work on the Regional Bureaus of Economy, Trade and Industry, etc. to secure cooperative projects and their budget in the next fiscal year by proposing IP-related projects in time with their budget formulation period, and JPAA’s regional branches will implement projects to support SMEs and start-ups in collaboration with financial institutions.
(C) Building cooperative relationships with various related bodies
　The Executive Board will take the lead in holding meetings and strengthening collaboration with various related bodies, including courts, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, INPIT, the Japan Intellectual Property Association, the World Intellectual Property Organization, Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI), and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). In addition to publishing and disseminating role models, we will conduct new activities (awareness-raising, dissemination, research, education, etc. of IP) in cooperation with each other.
(2) Continuing the system of global assessment of the JPAA’s activities
　We will implement the PDCA cycle, and brush up the method for making it easier to review projects.
(3) Promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE & I)
　DE & I will be respected by JPAA and its member organizations, and we will aim to build an environment in which all patent attorneys can demonstrate their abilities. In collaboration with related organizations, we will consider initiatives for attracting human resources with diverse attributes and backgrounds to the IP industry and developing an environment in which they can be active as IP experts.
(4) Fostering in-house patent attorneys that utilize IP and intangible assets to make the company achieve growth
(5) Improving the efficiency of work at patent firms through DX
　We will consider support for DX at patent firms. In particular, we will consider initiatives to actively execute projects for promoting DX of paperwork and improve the efficiency of the data input work for each client.
(6) DX of work at JPAA’s Secretariat
(7) Research and study of patent attorneys’ income / compensation structures
　In order to secure appropriate compensation for patent attorneys’ work, we will consider proposing how to decide compensation that corresponds to work load (work steps) and the difficulty level of the work, based on the fact-finding survey on compensation conducted last year.
(8) Improving patent attorneys’ sense of ethics
In order to fulfill the duties clause under the Patent Attorneys Act, we will endeavor to improve not only patent attorneys’ sense of professional ethics, but also their sense of general ethics, and will foster and reinforce human resources.

Ⅳ. Conclusion

　We will promote the abovementioned projects. It takes a long time to revitalize the economy by fully utilizing the IP system, but we will firmly send out information to the effect that the patent attorneys system is truly valuable for society. We will also enhance our training, etc. so that patent attorneys can respond to the rapidly changing external environment.

　While JPAA has worked on these projects over a long period of time, we will make effort to find even more effective methods through trial and error.

　Cooperation of a large number of patent attorneys is essential for making the IP system brighter. I ask for your support and cooperation.