On April 27, 2007, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (“JFTC”) published for public comment a draft of the “Guidelines Concerning Use of Intellectual Property” (Chiteki Zaisan no Riyo ni Kansuru Dokusenkinshiho Jo no Shishin) (the “IP Guidelines”). The IP guidelines are revisions of the
“Guidelines for Patent and Know-How Licensing Agreements under the Anti-Monopoly Act” (Tokyo Know-how License Keiyaku ni Kansuru Dokusenkinshiho Jo no Shishin, also referred to as the “Patent and Know-How Licensing Guidelines”) (the “Current Guidelines”), which have been the
subject of a long revision project.
The IP Guidelines expand the scope of the Current Guidelines to include intellectual property rights
other than patents and know-how, and provide a more in-depth treatment of refusals to license than the Current Guidelines. They also make certain revisions to some of the Current Guidelines, as described below.
Please see full publication below for more information.