Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Patents
  • Published:

Accelerated patent examination procedures spur Japanese university innovation

Two recent events—the issuance of the world's first patent for induced pluripotent stem cells and, under a pilot system, the issuance of the fastest patent ever granted—signal a watershed in Japanese academia's transition from gown to town.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Patent filings from Japanese universities.
Figure 2: Patent licensing trends at Japanese universities.
Figure 3: Induced pluripotent stem cells technology patent map, 2005–2009 (as of 13 February 2009).
Figure 4: Accelerated patent examination requests from Japanese university and TLO applicants.

References

  1. Patent Term Guarantee Act of 1999, Pub. L. No. 106-113, §§4401–4402, 113 Stat. 1501, 1501A–557 (1999).

  2. Aida, T. et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 25, 533–535 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Weiss, R. Advance may end stem cell debate. Washington Post (21 November 2007).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Arimoto, T. Innovation policy for Japan in a new era. in Recovering from Success: Innovation and Technology Management in Japan (eds. Whittaker, D.H. & Cole, R.E.) 238–242 (Oxford University Press, New York, 2006).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Cyranoski, D. Nature 455, 269 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Honda, T. Can Japan retain lead in pluripotent stem cell research? Nihon Keizai Shimbun (27 November 2007).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Langreth, R. & Herper, M. Stem cells get real. Forbes (17 June 2008).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Ando, K. Government recognizes need for patent strategy to support iPS cell R&D. Nihon Keizai Shimbun (11 January 2008).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cookson, C. & Jack, A. Pfizer to build £41m UK stem cell centre. Financial Times (13 November 2008).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cyranoski, D. Nature 453, 962 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. US and Japan to collaborate on stem-cell technology. Nature 458, 958 (2009).

  12. iPS Academia Japan, Inc. License Policy. http://www.ips-cell.net/e/license_policy/index.html

  13. Kyoto Univ. licenses stem cell patents to 2 biotech firms. Nikkei (9 April 2009).

  14. Ando, K. Universities struggle to turn tech into money. Nikkei Weekly (7 April 2008).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Yasuda, F. & Kato, H. WIPO-UNU joint research project—Impact of the intellectual property system on economic growth—Country Report Japan. Measuring the Economic Impact of IP Systems 4 (September 2007).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Japan Patent Office. Annual Report 2009 77 (2009) (Japanese version).

  17. Japan Science & Technology Agency. Intellectual Property—Domestic Patent Licensing Data Book 2008 (in Japanese only).

  18. Vrtovec, K.T. & Scott, C.T. Nat. Biotechnol. 26, 393–395 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Japan Patent Office. Annual Report 2009 130 (2009) (Japanese version).

  20. Ibid., 221.

  21. Tessensohn, J. European Intel. Prop. Rev. 30, 261–268 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Japan Patent Office. Annual Report 2009 10 (2009) (Japanese version).

  23. Tessensohn, J.A. & Yamamoto, S. World Intel. Prop. Rep. 22, 9–11 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Japan Patent Office. Examination Activities and Appeal Examination Activities - Patent Prosecution Highway http://www.jpo.go.jp/cgi/linke.cgi?url=/torikumi_e/t_torikumi_e/patent_highway_e.htm (accessed 1 July 2009).

  25. Tessensohn, J.A. & Yamamoto, S. World Intel. Prop. Rep. 23, 8–10 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  26. Johnson, C.A. Japan: Who Governs? The Rise of the Developmental State 74 (W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 1995).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Tessensohn, J.A. & Yamamoto, S. Nat. Biotechnol. 25, 55–57 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. 71 Fed. Reg. 36323 (26 June 2006).

  29. Hanft, J.E. & Kerns, S.S. Intel. Prop. & Tech. L.J. 19, 1–7 (2007).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Cyranoski, D. Nature 451, 229 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Government selects 24 'super' medical research projects. Yomiuri Shimbun (19 November 2008).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to John A Tessensohn.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tessensohn, J., Yamamoto, S. Accelerated patent examination procedures spur Japanese university innovation. Nat Biotechnol 27, 815–818 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0909-815

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0909-815

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing