A government panel adopted on Thursday an outline for proposed legislation aimed at promoting and protecting intellectual property rights, such as patents and copyrights.
The proposed law is designed to encourage the transfer of intellectual property from academic institutions to corporations, according to the Strategic Council on Intellectual Property.
It is also designed to expedite patent procedures and to nurture expertise in relevant areas, the council said.
Based on the outline, the government is expected to submit a bill to the Diet in the fall and try to have it enacted by spring, government officials said.
With the nation's industrial competitiveness threatened by rapid industrial growth in other parts of Asia, the proposal is aimed at reinvigorating the domestic economy by promoting and protecting intellectual property rights.
According to the outline, the law would define intellectual property as invention, literary and other creative work, commercial goods and trade secrets.
The outline cites the need to crack down on infringements of intellectual property rights and to promote the protection of such rights in new areas, including regenerative medicine.
It advocates the establishment of a government division chaired by the prime minister to coordinate the intellectual property policies of relevant government bodies and check on their implementation.
The council has been working on legal frameworks since July, when it adopted an intellectual property strategy.
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