Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� March, 2002

First Meeting of the Strategic Council on Intellectual Properties Wednesday, March 20, 2002 The first meeting of the Strategic Council on Intellectual Properties was held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. The objective of this Council is to quickly establish and advance a strategy for intellectual properties in order to enhance the international competitiveness of Japanese industries and revitalize the Japanese economy as the importance of intellectual properties increases. At the outset of the meeting, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stated, "The creation, protection and active use of intellectual properties will enhance the international competitiveness of our nation's industries. Intellectual properties are one of the key elements for achieving economic revitalization and this is indeed an important issue that should be tackled by the entire nation as part of our national strategy." The Prime Minister went on to state, "I would like this Council to engage in active discussions to identify the measures that must be taken in order to establish Japan as a nation that is built on the platform of intellectual properties and to outline the measures that the nation must take in order to achieve this." The Council is expected to decide upon an Outline for Intellectual Property Strategy (provisional name) by the middle of June and to determine the regime for following up on that Outline.