About the WIPO Japan Office

The WIPO Japan Office (WJO) is strategically located in Kasumigaseki, Tokyo, close to the Japan Patent Office and other stakeholders.

In addition to WIPO's main systems, we take part in the advancement of green technology transfers, sharing knowledge to tackle Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), and taking advantage of intellectual property (IP).

  • Contact us for more information or to arrange a visit to our office.
Mr. Tomoki Sawai, Director of WIPO Japan Office (Photo: WIPO/Berrod)

Our activities

While broad in scope and diverse in implementation, our activities generally aim to:

  • promote the use of WIPO's services at local events and provide assistance to new and existing users;
  • provide helpful and timely customer service to local clients and international callers routed to us when the WIPO Headquarters in Geneva are closed;
  • cooperate with the government of Japan under Japan Funds-In-Trust in supporting industrial property development in the Asia-Pacific region and others;
  • promote creativity and innovation via access to WIPO databases and the use of IP information.

History

Our office was established in the United Nations University (UNU) Headquarters Building in 2006 in response to increasing requests from developing countries for more information on the link between IP and economic development.

We were engaged in the creation of the IP Advantage Database, a series of videos on Asian innovators, and hosted the Real Manga competition to raise awareness on the importance of IP rights.

WJO expanded its outreach activities in 2011, and has since actively participated in seminars promoting WIPO services and responded to inquiries from local users.

The Office moved to its current location in Kasumigaseki, Tokyo, in 2012, started visiting companies to raise awareness of Madrid system, and engaged with the launch of WIPO:GREEN. In 2015, we started encouraging the use of the Hague system as Japan joined, and providing assistance for the short-term fellowship and training sessions under Japan Funds-In-Trust in addition to continuing customer service.