WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONIP/C/W/203/Add.2
14 September 2000
(00-3600)
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
8 September 2000.
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I. TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL
PROPERTY RIGHTS
1. Voluntary contributions for WIPO Funds-in-Trust/Japan
Since 1987, the Government of Japan (GOJ) has been providing voluntary contributions in
the field of industrial property to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).  "WIPO
Funds-in-Trust/Japan" (FIT/JP) in the field of industrial property was established with these voluntary
funds and is used annually to finance various projects for WIPO member countries in the Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP), such as the holding of IP office conferences or
symposia, acceptance of trainees and IPR research students, dispatch of Japanese Patent Office (JPO)officers and support for automation and modernization of IP offices.  The voluntary fund for Japanese
fiscal year (FY) 2000 accounts for ¥178.21 million.
2. Human Resources Development
(a) 1,000 Trainee Programme
Since April 1996, the JPO has been carrying out a cooperative undertaking, called the "1,000
Trainee Programme", in order to assist the development of human resources in the field of industrial
property rights in developing countries.  The programme targeted to invite a total of 1,000 people
from the government and private sectors mainly in the Asia-Pacific region to training courses in Japan
by the year 2000, when developing countries were obliged to comply with the TRIPS Agreement.IP/C/W/203/Add.2
Page 2
By March 2000, a total of 974 participants were accepted from 38 countries and one
economy, and the programme had reached the goal of 1,000 participants in June 2000.  After the
completion of "1,000 Trainee Programme", the JPO is continuously inviting trainees from the public
and private sectors in developing countries.
(i) Training programmes for government officials
The JPO has been holding the group training courses on industrial property rights for
government officials.  In FY 1999, the following six group training courses were held.
For APEC member economies
- "Group Training Course in Intellectual Property for APEC Economies" is a two-
month course for administrative officials working in areas related to IPR and
examiners of IPR.  Participants are divided into four groups according to their
specialties:  administration, patents and utility models, industrial designs, and
trademarks.
For non-APEC economies- "Group Training Course in Administration of Industrial Property" is a one-month
course focusing more specifically on administrative aspects for the benefit ofgovernment officials in the area of IPR.
These two training courses are managed by the JPO in cooperation with the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Asia-Pacific Industrial Property Center (APIC) of
the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation (JIII).
For ESCAP region- "Training course on the Enforcement of IPR under WIPO Funds-in-Trust/Japan" is a
two-week course for senior officials engaged in the enforcement of IPR in
enforcement-related government agencies.
- "Training course on the Use of Information Technology in IP Administration under
WIPO Funds-in-Trust/Japan" is a two-week c ourse for senior officials of IP offices
responsible for information technology matters.
- "Training course on the Examination Practices of Industrial Property under WIPO
Funds-in-Trust/Japan" is a two-week course for examiners in the field of IPR.
Participants are divided into three groups according to their specialties:  patents and
utility models, industrial designs, and trademarks.
- "Training course on Industrial Property Administration under WIPO
Funds-in-Trust/Japan" is a two-week course for senior officials in IP offices in charge
of general administration and policy planning.
These four training courses are managed by the JPO and organized by the WIPO in
cooperation with JIII APIC.
(ii) Training programmes for the private sectorThe JPO has also been holding the following group training courses on industrial property
rights for trainees from the private sector.IP/C/W/203/Add.2
Page 3
For APEC member economies
- "Industrial Property Rights Training Course for Management"
Participants of this two-week course occupy middle and senior management
personnel positions or their equivalent in private companies, law firms, research
institutes and educational organizations.
- "Industrial Property Rights Training Course for Operational Staff"
Participants of the course are operational staff in private companies, law firms,
research institutes and educational organizations.  This three-to-four-week course is
held five times a year.
- "Industrial Property Rights Training Course for Lawyers"
Participants of this three-week course are law staff or lawyers in law firms and
specialists of industrial property law in educational organizations.
For non-APEC economies
- "Training Programme on Industrial Property Management"
The participants occupy middle and senior management positions or their equivalent
in private companies, law firms, research institutes and educational organizations.
The course is for two and a half weeks.
These training courses are conducted by APIC and JIII with the assistance of the Association
for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS).
(b) Long-term fellowship
Under the long-term fellowship project funded by WIPO FIT/JP, a professor from Indonesia
and a government official from Viet Nam (Nationa l Office of Industrial Property of Viet Nam) were
invited to Japan to study intellectual property issues for a period of six months respectively.
(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 volunteerism in APEC.  This APEC/PFP course
aims to foster a deeper understanding of the establishment and management of industrial property
systems by developing human resources to meet international obligations with respect to industrial
property protection.
In February and March 1997, the Government of Thailand conducted the first course in
collaboration with the GOJ through JICA.  The course was also held in Thailand in November and
December 1997, October and November 1998 and August and September 1999.
(d) Seminar on Intellectual Property Rights for IP-Enforcement Staff Members
The JPO has held an enforcement seminar as a third country training programme aimed at
developing human resources engaged in IPR enforcement and supporting relevant enlightenment and
dissemination of IPR systems in the Asia-Pacifi c region.  The seminar programme included basicIP/C/W/203/Add.2
Page 4
lectures on IPRs, presentations by participant countries on the present status of enforcement in their
respective countries, and information exchanges.
This fiscal year one seminar was held in the Republic of Korea in June, and another is under
arrangement.
(e) Expert missions
The JPO is dispatching officials to developing countries as experts and seminar instructors
specializing in various areas of IPRs mainly fo r periods of about two weeks through WIPO FIT/JP
and a dispatch scheme of the JICA.  The dispatched experts mainly provide on-site instruction
regarding examination practices, computerization, PCT practices and so forth.
The JPO also dispatches its officials as JICA long-term experts in order to engage in JICA
project-type technical cooperation being implemented in the IP office of the respective recipient
countries and as individual experts on industrial property right administration.
In FY 1999, 12 experts were dispatched under the WIPO scheme and 19 under the JICA
scheme (long-term:  3 persons /short-term:  16 persons).
(f) Symposia
Major symposia, etc. in FY 1999 funded by the WIPO FIT/JP are as shown below.
Title Venue/Date Theme Participants
WIPO Asian Regional
Forum
(Director-General leveltalks on regional IP
policies)Malaysia,
January 2000The Enforcement of
Intellectual Property
Rights with particularreference to the TRIPS
Agreement40 participants from 21
Asia-Pacific countries and
approximately 100 localparticipants
WIPO Asian RegionalSymposiumBangladesh,
November 1999Role of the Intellectual
Property System inAugmenting Enterprise
Competitiveness26 participants from 14
Asia-Pacific countries andapproximately 15 local
participants representing the
Government and the
Bangladeshi private sector
WIPO Asian RegionalWorkshopSingapore,
February 2000Role of the Intellectual
Property System in
Augmenting EnterpriseCompetitiveness37 participants from 21
Asia-Pacific countries and 37
local participants from the IPOffice as well as the business
and legal sectors in Singapore
3. Computerization and Information Processing
(a) Development of information searching system in Thailand
Since July 1995, the GOJ has been carrying out a cooperation programme to establish the
Industrial Property Information Center (IPIC) in Thailand under JICA project-type technical
cooperation.IP/C/W/203/Add.2
Page 5
Under this cooperation project, patent information and office automation know-how of the
JPO is provided to Thailand.  For smooth technical transfer, the GOJ has been comprehensively
providing necessary equipment, dispatching experts, and offering training programmes in Japan for
Thai trainees.
With the above cooperation, the efficiency of patent examination in the Department of
Intellectual Property of Thailand is expected to be improved and technological information is
available to the public through the Internet.  Thereby, the programme will contribute to modernization
of the industrial property administration and development of Thai industry as a whole.
(b) Modernization of Industrial Property Administration Project in the Philippines
JICA project-type technical cooperation for modernization of the Intellectual Property Office
of the Philippines (IPO) was launched in May 1999.  This project is aimed at establishing
administrative processing systems for patents, utility models and industrial designs in four years, and
four Japanese experts (including two experts from the JPO) were under dispatch as JICA long-term
experts for the implementation of the project.  Also, the GOJ accepted one IPO official for counterpart
training last year.
The JPO also dispatched its officials as JICA long-term experts to the IPO from March 1995
to April 2000 to establish trademark related systems, i.e., a word search system and an administration
system.
(c) Modernization of Industrial Property Administration in Viet Nam
The GOJ dispatched an implementation study team to Vietnam in December 1999.  Based on
the findings of the study team, the GOJ launched the project in April 2000.  This project aims at
establishing in four years administrative processing systems for patents, utility solutions, industrial
designs and trademarks.
(d) 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 abstracts of Japanese patent applications
translated into English, on CD-ROM.
(e) Electronic Data Processing Project for IP Information
The JPO has collected industrial property right laws and regulations of the world's major
countries including the APEC economies, and published both English and Japanese legislative text in
CD-ROM form with search function.
The 1999 version of the CD-ROM includes laws and regulations of Australia, Belgium,
Brazil, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, the Euro pean Union, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy,
Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore,
Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Viet Nam.  150 copies have
been distributed free of charge.IP/C/W/203/Add.2
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4. Assistance in Search and Examination
(a) Cooperation in patent examination
Since 1994, the JPO has been carrying out a cooperation programme in the field of patent
search and examination with Thailand and Indonesia, in which the JPO sends final examination
reports on patent applications filed both in Japan and in Thailand or Indonesia respectively byJapanese applicants.
(b) WIPO/State-of-the-Art-Search es for Developing Countries
The JPO provides search reports on patent applications for which prior art search was
requested by industrial property offices or research  institutes of developing countries through the
WIPO International Bureau.  Delivered search reports account for 80 in FY 1997, 85 in FY 1998 and
94 in FY 1999.
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
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 six activities.
(a) Annual Regional Symposium (since 1993)
Year Venue Participants
1993 Tokyo, Japan 100 participants from 19 countries
1994 Phuket, Thailand 60 participants from 22 countries
1995 Denpasar, Indonesia 100 participants from 17 countries
1996 Chiang Mai, Thailand 60 participants from 23 countries
1997 Manila, the Philippines 100 participants from 27 countries
1998 Islamabad, Pakistan 70 participants from 24 countries
1999 New Delhi, India 80 participants from 21 countries
(b) Training Program in Tokyo, Japan (since 1994)
Year Participants
1994 5 trainees from China, India, Indonesia and Mongolia
1995 4 trainees from the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam
1996 5 trainees from Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Tonga
1997 8 trainees from Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines and
the Republic of Korea
1998 8 trainees from Cambodia, Fiji, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Samoa, Thailand, and Viet
Nam
1999 12 trainees from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, China, India, Indonesia,
Laos, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore and Sri LankaIP/C/W/203/Add.2
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(c) Sub-Regional Seminar (since 1995)
Year Venue Participants
1995 Suva, Fiji 30 participants from 12 countries
1997 Nuku'alofa, Tonga 30 participants from 10 countries
1998 Apia, Samoa 80 participants from 13 countries
(d) Experts Missions (since 1999)
This programme was started in 1999, in order to assist the countries in developing and
strengthening infrastructure for the protection and management of copyright and neighbouring rights.
Year Venue
1999 The Philippines and Viet Nam
(e) Training on Collective Management
This programme is started in 2000, which is on-the-job training for staffs of collective
management organizations or government officials in developing countries.
(f) National Seminar on Copyright and Neighboring Rights
This programme is started in 2000, in order to promote awareness of the protection of
copyright and neighbouring rights and the role it can play in cultural and economic development ofdeveloping countries.
Year Venue
2000 Nepal
2. Asian Copyright Experts Invitation Programme
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.
Year Country
1996 Thailand
1997 The Republic of Korea
1998 Hong Kong, China
1999 Singapore
3. Asia-Pacific Copyright and Neighboring Rights Seminar
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/203/Add.2
Page 8
Year Venue Participants
1997 Yokohama, Japan 40 participants from 7 countries
1998 Tokyo, Japan 80 participants from 14 countries and 3 NGOs
1999 Tokyo, Japan 80 participants from 26 countries and 3 NGOs
2000 Tokyo, Japan 100 participants from 25 countries and 3 NGOs
4. JICA Group Training Course
This training course was started in 1999 in cooperation with JICA, to contribute to the
development of copyright systems.
Year Participants
1999 7 trainees from Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and
Zambia
1999 7 trainees from Fiji, Kiribati, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea (2) and Tonga
2000 7 trainees from Colombia, Kenya, Moldova, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Saudi Arabia
and Solomon Islands
III. TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF PLANT
VARIETY PROTECTION
Through the UPOV Trust Fund of Japan, the GOJ has supported a programme which provides
Asian countries with seminars and workshops on plant variety protection systems.
The seminars have been held since FY 1991 for the purpose of contributing to the promotion
and establishment of the plant variety protection systems.  In addition, the workshop scheme has beenset up since FY 1996, in order to provide some prac tical knowledge and technique relating to the plant
variety protection.
Details of the seminars and the workshops which have been held are as follows:
International Seminars
Year Venue Participants
1996 Kyrgyz
Republic10 participants from Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Russian
Federation, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan
1999 China 10 participants from Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of
Korea, Thailand and Viet NamIP/C/W/203/Add.2
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Regional Seminars
Year Venue Participants
1991 Japan 14 participants from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the
Republic of Korea, Singapore and Thailand
1992 The Republic
of Korea13 participants from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand
1993 China 18 participants from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and the Republic of Korea
1995 Indonesia 16 participants from Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, the
Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam
1996 Viet Nam 7 participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and
Thailand
National Seminars
Year Venue
1994 China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and the Philippines
1996 India and Bangladesh
2000 The Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia
Workshops
Year Venue Participants Note
1997 Australia 64 participants from Asia-Pacific
countriesIn cooperation with Asia
Pacific Seed Association(APSA)
1998 The United
Kingdom14 participants from China, Indonesia,
Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic
of Korea, Thailand and Viet NamIn cooperation with WIPO
1999 The United
Kingdom7 participants from Bangladesh, China,
India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka andThailandIn cooperation with WIPO
2000 Japan 10 participants from China, Indonesia,
Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic
of Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam
IV. TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF BORDER
MEASURES
In 1997, the Ministry of Finance, the GOJ started a training course in the field of border
measures for the enforcement of intellectual property rights.  The purpose of this programme is to
assist in the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement by developing countries in the Asia-Pacific
region.
Date Venue Participants
5-14 March 1997 Japan China and Indonesia
5-14 November 1997 Japan The Philippines and Viet Nam
11-20 November 1998 Japan Peru and Thailand
9-19 November 1999 Japan Chile and Malaysia
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