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Promotional Policies

National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP)

NISTEP sets its missions as follows:

• To lead planning of government S&T policies by implementing S&T policy research with a comprehensive and long-term perspective;
• To provide research results to society and support firms and related organizations to formulate strategy for R&D and innovation management;
• As one of the central institutes of international network of S&T policy research, to promote policy research through gathering a wide range of institutions and human resources from Japan and abroad, and to raise corporate research planner, policy researcher, administrative officials, and so on.

• Research on processes of R&D
• Research on adaptation processes of technology to economic and societal needs
• Research on comprehensive relationship between S&T and society
• Common, basic, or comprehensive research relating to the above areas

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology - MEXT

The Basic Plan

In response to the Science and Technology Basic Law, the Science and Technology Basic Plan sets the basic direction of R&D promotion as the active promotion of basic research and the vigorous promotion of R&D that responds to societal and economic needs. Some of the measures include using R&D to solve the national, social and global problems and to improve the present technology even better.

Basic Policies

Promotion of basic research and upgrading research quality by fair and transparent evaluation.

Priority setting of R&D in accordance with national and social needs: life sciences, information technology, environmental science & technology, nanotechnology and materials.

Support for emerging fields with foresight and mobility e.g. nanotechnology, bio-informatics, systematic biology, nanobiology

Internationalisation of S&T activities

Initiatives in international cooperation.

Enhancement of dissemination of information to the world.

Internationalisation of domestic R&D circumstances.

Governmental investment enlargement and resource allocation in effective and efficient manners

24 million yen of governmental R&D investment for a five year term (i.e. 1% of GDP per year).

Annual budgeting under assessment of financial affairs, R&D system reform progress and other conditions.

Elevation of R&D quality through accomplishing prioritization, efficiency and transparency of S&T investment.

INTELLECTUAL POLICIES

An outline of the intellectual property policy was formed in July 2002, the Basic Law on Intellectual Property was established in December of the same year, the "Bill for Partial Amendment of the Patent Law, etc." which included revisions of patent fee system was established in May 2003, the "Strategic Program for the Creation, Protection, and Exploitation of Intellectual Property" was established in July of the same year, and the "Law for Partial Amendment of the Patent Law and other laws to Expedite Patent Examination." was established in May 2004. Furthermore, the "Intellectual Property Strategic Program 2004" which was the revision of the Strategic Program was established in May of the same year. The objective of timely patent examination in the Strategic Program 2004 is to keep the waiting period for patent examination to less than 30 months in 2008 (medium-term objective) and to achieve the reduction of the waiting period to 11 months, which will be the highest global standard, in 2013 (long-term objective).

Outline of the Intellectual Property Policy

• Promotion of creation of intellectual property
• Reinforcement of protection of intellectual property
• Promotion of exploitation of intellectual property
• Development of personnel infrastructure

The current efforts made by the JPO include:

• Promotion of Examination Process: Completing more cases by increasing number of examiners, Increasing outsourcing
• Increasing Propriety of the Application and Examination Request System: Review of the patent fee system, Added incentives for applicants' use of prior art search organizations, Increased attractiveness of the utility model system
• Development and strengthening of the infrastructure for timely patent examination: strengthening of HR development including civilian experts, strengthening of information services

Intellectual Exchange Program

Centre for Global Partnership (CGP)'s Intellectual Exchange Program promotes collaborative research and dialogue among scholars and policymakers to encourage global partnerships between Japan, the United States, and other countries of the world. The Intellectual Exchange Program funds projects that involve policy-oriented research conducted by universities and research institutions in the United States and Japan to examine issues of common concern, to share insight and knowledge with colleagues in other countries, and to present new, collaboratively developed policy recommendations.