• IP Collegium• November 2019, Tokyo• Dr. Shoichi Okuyama• Okuyama & Sasajima

Education for kids up to 20 years old• Kindergartens, Elementary, Junior High andToday, I will
mainlydiscussHigh schools, Technical Collages (Kosen),plus some universities

Not much about Universities• Some, not all, universities have strong IP
programs• One university is known for mandatory
requirement of IP courses for all students

Government Curriculum Guidelines• For kindergartens, elementary, junior high and high schools
JIII and JIPII

List ofInitiatives inJapan• Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation
INPIT• National Center for Industrial Property Information andTraining
JPAA• Japan Patent Attorneys Association
Patent and Design Contests• By INPIT and JPAA

Kindergartens, Elementary, Junior High, andHigh Schools• Public and private schools• 4-19 years old

Government
Curriculum
Guidelines• Revised every nine years or so

Most recently revised in 2017-2018• More emphasis on creativity and IP

Previous revisions in 2008-2009 included IP
education• But it did not work
• It was necessary to teach teachers about IP• JIPII (Japan Institute of Promotion of Invention andInnovation)• Whole range of education programs for kids togrown-ups like myself

JapanInstitute ofInvention
andInnovation• “Invention Clubs” network covering all parts of Japan• 219 clubs, about 9,000 students (normally 10-13years old)
• National Challenge Creation Contest• For 9-16 years old, teams of three students• Gold Prize in 2018
• Invention and Ingenuity Contest and Exhibition• 6-19 years old• Prize winners in 2018
• International Exhibition for Young Inventors• IEYI2017 in Nagoya, IEYI2018 in India• IEYI2019 in Indonesia in October

“Book for Thinking about Ideas”• For senior students atelementary schools• 11-12 years old• Published by JIPII last month• Comes with a teacher’smanualINPIT• Provides JPO database service and training
for examiners• Publishes a variety of texts including thosefor novices

JPAA• Japan Patent Attorneys Association• More than 10,000 members• Has its own stock of materials forelementary and junior high schools andgives presentations as invited• Prepares materials and gives lectures athigh schools and universities

Patent and Design Contests• Joint efforts by INPIT and JPAA
• Plus JPO and MEXT
• High school and university students• INPIT carries out prior art searches• For winners• No monetary awards, but can obtain a patent or designregistration• JPAA pays for attorneys who help winners file a patent ordesign application• Official fees are waived• MEXT Award also goes to schools• MEXT: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scienceand Technology• JPO Commissioner Award goes to a winner who succeeded incommercializing the patented invention

Multiple-sledLoose Leaf Binder• 2017 Patent Contest• Three winners• Mr. Daiki Omori• Tokushima University• Pat. No. 6435449• Filed March 2018
• Granted Nov. 2018

Pen Holder• may also hold other stationery
such as an eraser and sticky tags
• Ms. Miyu Kimura• Himeji Industrial High School• Design No. 1608598• Filed Feb 2018
• Reg. June 2018,

JPO Commissioner Award in 2018
• A winner of Patent Contest in 2015
• “Method for making local melon flavored ice cream”• A recipe for melon-flavored ice cream• Pat. No. 6041413 (filed Mar. 2016, granted Nov. 2016)• A team of ten students at Gifu HighSchool of Agriculture and Forestry• wanted to promote local specialty melon• Students produce ice cream themselves
and sell at festivals

MEXT Awards in2018• Went to• Five high schools• Two technical colleges(Kosen, for 15-21 yearsold)• Two universities

okuyama@quon-ip.jp