Hey, it's an inventor's market, and there's a shortage of great ideas. Scientists at Japanese national universities who develop new industrial processes could be offered larger sums for their industrial patents under a plan aimed at promoting new technology. Government patent officials have said that the government plans to remove the ceiling on its awards from the present 6 million yen available to academics who are granted patents. The move, part of central government streamlining, is expected to be approved by Cabinet ministers later this month.
Patents grant exclusive rights to the owner to produce and sell the technology.
The government will be able to pay scientists more than 6 million yen in patent rewards from fiscal 2002. The move follows increasing cooperation between universities and the private sector in the development of new industrial technology. Government officials said it is hoped the change will give academics and scientists greater incentive to develop industrial patents with potential commercial applications. Scientists at national universities sought patents for 190 inventions in 1999, an increase from only 39 in 1989, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The growth in the number of industrial patent applications comes as a result of universities becoming more active in transferring their technology to business.