Report on Direction of IP Strategy and Support in the Space Sector Released

1. Purpose

The space industry sector has recently experienced a high level of technical innovation including development of small-sized spacecraft and global trends pressuring cost-cutting for space equipment. Against this backdrop, IP management has become more and more necessary as products and components involving IPs are becoming easily available to numerous unspecified users, including competing businesses.

In these circumstances, many space-related businesses in Europe and the U.S. are actively applying for patents in Japan and other major countries. Some examples are, a conceptual patent on a technology relating to spacecraft with an electrical propulsion system that provides the patentee with a wide scope of patent protection and a business model patent for a system for delivering a satellite data analysis solution.

Considering this situation, in October 2019, the Study Group on Development of IP Strategy in Space Sector comprised of and experts in the field, was established to discuss ways to assist Japanese space-related businesses and research institutes in developing their IP strategies. The group hereby publishes a report on the discussion results.

2. Members *Affiliations and titles indicated below are as of the time of taking office.

Members

Nakasuka Shinichi (Chairperson)
Professor, Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics School of Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo

Ishii Yasuo
Director, Strategic Planning and Management Department, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

Ochiai Toshimasa
Deputy Director, Business Development Department, Space Systems Division, Integrated Defense & Space Systems, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Koyama Hiroshi
Executive Chief Engineer, Electronic Systems Group, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

Samejima Masahiro
Attorney-at-law, Uchida & Samejima Law Firm

Takakura Shigeo
Dean and Professor, Meiji University Law School

Furuichi Toru
Director, Intellectual Property Standardization Promotion Division, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

Miyashita Naoki
Director and CTO, Axelspace Corporation

Government observers
System Planning Division, Engineering Department, Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center, the Cabinet Secretariat
Space Development and Utilization Division, Research and Development Bureau, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

Secretariat
National Space Policy Secretariat, the Cabinet Office
Space Industry Office, Manufacturing Industries Bureau, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

3. Related Document

• Report on Direction of IP Strategy and Support in the Space Sector (Summary) (PDF:243KB)PDF
• Report on Direction of IP Strategy and Support in the Space Sector (in Japanese)(PDF:7,257KB)PDF

Division in Charge

Space Industry Office, Manufacturing Industries Bureau