Proposal for International Standards
Strategy toward Global Market Creation

February 20, 2024
Keidanren (Japan Business Federation)

Table of Contents
I.

Introduction: Current Situation and Issues

II.

Grand Design
1. Concept: Clearly Communicate and Promote Society 5.0 for SDGs
2. Strategic Areas: Establish Promising Areas for Global Market Creation

III.

Strategies
1. Organization to Formulate and Promote Strategies: Establishing the International Standards
Strategy Headquarters
2. Forging Alliances: Building Strategic Partnerships for Each Target Market
3. Building an Ecosystem

IV.

Specific Measures to Build and Strengthen the Ecosystem
1. Promoting Modification of Corporate Behavior
2. Securing and Developing Human Resources
3. Promoting Cross-Industry Collaboration
4. Ensuring Recognition of and Support for Academics

V.

Conclusion: Concrete Action by Keidanren (Post-ProposalFollow-Up)
1. Top Management Seminars
2. Enhancement of Awareness-Raising Activities
3. Promotion of Cross-Industry Collaboration
4. Promotion of International Standards Strategies by Keidanren
5. Review1

I. Introduction: Current Situation and Issues
The formation of international standards, regulations, and other strategic rules is a
powerful tool for creating markets on a global scale and improving industrialcompetitiveness.
In addition to Europe and the US, China’s presence in the standardization arena isgrowing stronger.1
Japan continues to win in technology and lose in business, and in the near future,even winning in technology may become difficult.
It is imperative that industry, academia, and government now work closely together
by formulating and implementing an international standards strategy as part of rule
formation under a clear vision.
Scope of this Proposal
De jure standards

Forum-based standards

Developed through international consultation atinternational standardization organizations2 such as
ISO, IEC, and ITU

Developed through discussion at forum organizations
in which private companies, research institutes, andthe like participate

Notes:
1. Europe tends toward policy guidance and standardization, the United States to de facto standards and forum-based
standards, and China to state-led national standardization.
2. ISO: International Organization for Standardization; IEC: International Electrotechnical Commission; ITU: International
Telecommunication Union.

2II. Grand Design01

Clearly Communicate and Promote Society 5.0 for SDGs

•A concept originating in Japan, in which a diverse range of people apply theirknowledge to create a better society using data and state-of-the-art digitaltechnology such as AI.

•Although it has gained some recognition in forums such as B7, internationalawareness of Society 5.0 for SDGs remains low.

•It is essential that we clearly communicate and promote Society 5.0 for SDGs sothat the concept will be widely understood and shared by the international
community as the cornerstone of Japan’s proposals for international
standardization.

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II. Grand Design02•

Strategic Areas: Establish Promising Areas for Global Market Creation
Establish strategic areas that can be expected to contribute to therealization of Society 5.0 for SDGs and where markets can be created ona global scale, with a basis in technologies and services that allow Japanto leverage its competitive advantages.
What social issues should Japan focus onin rulemaking, including international standardization?

Energy/Decarbonization/Climate change

152

Resource circulation/Circular economy

106
47

Strengthen value chain
Resilience/Disaster prevention/Mitigation

40

Health/Medical/Nursing

35

Biodiversity

29

Agriculture/FoodRegional revitalization20
8Source: Keidanren survey (October 27 to November 17, 2023)
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II. Grand Design
Examples of Strategic Areas
Environment andEnergy✓ Japan has strengths in technologies related to carbon neutrality1 and circular economy.2✓ It is important to capture new markets while avoiding the formulation of inappropriate
standards/rules.
✓ Utilize frameworks such as the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC).

✓ Red (medicine and health): Harmonize regulations globally in regenerative medicine, etc. throughstandardization and establish quality standards for supporting industries.
✓ Green (food and agriculture): Standardize cultured meat safety, etc. with a view to food security.
✓ White (industry and energy): Establish feedstock standards to secure a stable feedstock supply.

Bioeconomy

Next-Generation
Telecommunications
Technologies✓ Promote standardization of Beyond 5G (6G), semiconductor manufacturing technology, andquantum technology as fundamental technologies supporting Society 5.0.

Resilience andDisaster Prevention✓ Japan has globally advanced capabilities in weather data collection and analysis, flood andtsunami countermeasures, post-disaster rehabilitation, etc.
✓ Promote standardization for development as an industry and adoption in other countries.

Services✓ This is an area where uniquely Japanese value such as attention to detail can be leveraged.
✓ Promote standardization to capture markets by meeting medical and nursing care service needs inother countries.
Notes:
1. Hydrogen, solid-state batteries, negative emissions technology, nuclear fusion technology, etc.
2. 3R technologies, chemical recycling of waste plastics, etc.

5III Strategies

01 Establishing the International Standards Strategy Headquarters••

Although the Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters should act as a governmental control
tower, at present the secretariat is inadequately staffed and funded, and there is no clear forum forcross-disciplinary, industry-academia-government discussion of international standardization
strategies.
A permanent body with a robust secretariat should be established to comprehensively coordinate
the measures of different ministries and agencies and to formulate and promote Japan’sinternational standards strategy from a broad perspective.
Cabinet Office

Ministry of Internal Affairs andCommunications
Ministry of Health, Labour andWelfare

International Standards Strategy Headquarters
Secretariat for International Standards Strategy

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries
Ministry of Economy, Trade andIndustry
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,
Transport and Tourism
Ministry of the Environment

Necessary functions• Formulation of international standards strategy that corresponds
to our vision of society even 20 to 30 years from now• Proposal of measures to realize that strategyMembership• Specialists including the next generation of leaders currently intheir 30s and 40s

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
・・・
6III Strategies02•••

Forging Alliances
Depending on the target market, build government-led strategic partnerships basedon trust with Europe, the US, ASEAN, India, and other countries.
Increase presence of Japanese companies overseas through the Japan BusinessCouncil in Europe (JBCE) and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).
Promote personnel exchange with overseas organizations to build medium- to longterm alliances.
What countries or regions should Japan collaborate with in rulemaking,including international standardization?

EuropeUSA
ASEAN
India
Korea
Germany
Middle East
ThailandSingapore
AfricaUK
Indonesia
Vietnam
France

117
117
76
53
15
10
77
554432

Source: Keidanren survey (October 27 to November 17, 2023)

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III Strategies

03•

Building an Ecosystem
It is essential to construct an ecosystem involving companies, industry
associations, government, academia, standards development organizations,certification bodies, etc. (see next section for details).

8IV Specific Measures to Build and Strengthen the Ecosystem•Common challenges: lack of awareness of international standards within companies andmaintaining and securing human resources
Reasons for lack of development ofinternational standards
Other
23%

Difficulty of collaborating withexternal bodies (industryassociations, certification bodies,academia, etc.)
6%

No in-house awareness of
the importance ofdeveloping international
standards
39%

Difficulty in maintaining and securing human resources
to develop international standards, etc.
32%
Source: Keidanren survey (October 27 to November 17, 2023)

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IV Specific Measures to Build and Strengthen the Ecosystem

01

Promoting Modification of Corporate Behavior

Issue✓ Lack of awareness of the importance of international standards

Measures

Raise Management Awareness✓ Managers must themselves cultivate a strong awareness of the importance of international standards andposition standards at the center of their management strategy.
✓ Companies should initiate concrete actions such as appointing chief standardization officers (CSOs) andensure that they function effectively.
✓ Corporate planning departments should coordinate with other departments to incorporate international
standards strategies into company-wide strategies.

Allocate Human Resources✓ Companies should increase staffing and use outside personnel as necessary, including assigning highperformers.

Engage in International Standardization from the R&D Phase✓ The Japanese government should provide more standardization support to companies participating inGreen Innovation Fund projects, etc. (e.g., offering consultation opportunities with experts).
✓ Companies should work on international standardization from an early stage, as part of their own
regular R&D activities.

Appeal to Investors✓ Companies should express to investors their commitment to the creation of value throughstandardization, with reference to the “IP & Intangible Assets Governance Guidelines Ver. 2.0,” to attract
investment.
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IV Specific Measures to Build and Strengthen the Ecosystem

02

Securing and Developing Human Resources✓ Shortage and aging of standardization personnel✓ Concerns that the supply of human resources capable of providing
leadership will be depleted in the near future

IssuesMeasures

Develop and Visually Present Career Roadmaps

Leverage Patent Attorneys✓ Companies and industry associations can develop and visuallypresent career roadmaps to provide incentives to early-career
staff.

✓ Further enhance the presence of patent
attorneys in the area of standardization as
experts in open and closed strategy.

Establish and Leverage a Pool of Specialists

Higher Education & Re-skilling✓ Establish a pool of specialists through organic linkage with theStandardization Personnel Information Directory, which is underconstruction by the Japanese government, and encourage the use ofoutside personnel.
✓ Stimulate the market for standardization personnel and improveliquidity.

✓ Integrate international standards strategy intouniversity and graduate school curricula.
✓ Enhance the training function of theJapanese Standards Association.

Standardization Personnel Information
Directory (STANDirectory)Specialist Pool
✓ Strategists✓ Marketers✓ Standards developers and negotiators✓ Advocates✓ Patent attorneys, etc.

Organiccollaboration
Including non-Japanesepersonnel

Registration

Inflow

Large companies/industry associations/academia/standards development organizations/certification bodies/consulting
firms/patent firms/etc.

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IV Specific Measures to Build and Strengthen the Ecosystem

03

Promoting Cross-Industry Collaboration

Issues✓ Existence of social issues that are difficult for one company or one industry to solve

Measures✓ It is necessary to promote collaboration between multiple industries inthe value chain and expand areas for cooperation, includinginternational standards.
✓ It will also be effective to utilize industry-academia-government councils
that are cross-disciplinary and cross-industry.

04
IssuesMeasures

Ensuring Recognition of and Support for Academics
Affiliations of the TC/SC chairs in ISO/IEC
representing Japan (JISC members)✓ Academics are key players, holding many important
positions such as chairs of international standardizationrelated committees, but these efforts are not given
sufficient recognition or funding.
✓ Performance evaluation: assess at same level as IPachievements.
✓ Funding: expand support by the Japanese Standards
Association and academic societies.

Other
Private companies(SMEs)

Private companies(Large enterprises)

Universities

Certification and testing bodies

Source: Prepared by Keidanren Secretariat based on Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry materials

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V Conclusion: Action by Keidanren

01 Top Management Seminars✓ Hold high-level seminars aimed at management and the heads of corporate planning
divisions

02 Enhancement of Awareness-Raising Activities✓ Spread awareness through the Monthly Keidanren magazine and other media✓ Cooperate in events hosted by government and other organizations

03 Promotion of Cross-Industry Collaboration✓ Provide a forum for discussion of cross-industry international standardization activities

04 Promotion of International Standards Strategies by Keidanren✓ Consider renaming to Intellectual Property and International Standards Strategy Committee andestablishing a new International Standards Strategy Subcommittee✓ Promote international standards strategies in the relevant committees

05 Review✓ Review the items achieved after this proposal and the remaining issues, and recommend
necessary measures (after one to two years)
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