The Association of Intellectual Property Education Starts the World´s First, Globalized ´´Intellectual Property Management Skills Test´´ Certified by the Government from July

The Association of Intellectual Property Education (President:
Yuji Tanahashi, Minato-Ku, Tokyo) has been nominated by the Minister
of Health, Labour and Welfare as the test agency to develop
examination content for the new national "Intellectual Property
Management Skills Test" to commence from July 2008. The announcement
was made on 18 March.

International Intellectual Property Management and Practical
Strategic Skill in the Global Age

At present, in the intellectual property field, national
examinations such as the "Patent Attorney Examination" are mainly
concerned with the practice, knowledge and skills of dealing with
filing applications required to operate as an agent in the home
country´s patent office. In the Japanese domestic economy - mainly
manufacturing, such as consumer-electronics and automobile manufacture
- the domestic market has already become saturated whereas the sales
rate in foreign countries has increased. Accordingly, the global
economy becomes more significant, and the practical skills for global
intellectual management and strategy are required more than ever to
improve the relative international position of Japanese companies in
the future. However, any suitable national examinations were not
available on a global basis.

Against this background, the newly initiated "Intellectual
Property Management Skills Test" provides a world´s first national
examination for typical Japanese in a highly technical, competitive
field, to support the establishment of global intellectual property
rights and business expansion for enterprises. Therefore, the core
purpose of this examination relates not only to the procedures and
intellectual property rights of the Japanese Patent Office, but also
to the United States, Europe, China, Korea India, etc. and is to
evaluate intellectual property management, practical knowledge for
strategy and know-how for associated enforcement in crucial markets.

Toward the "Intellectual Property-Based Nation", the Examination
Committee Consists of Relevant Ministries and Associations in a
Cross-Sectional Manner

Since the declaration of the "Intellectual Property-Based Nation"
by the Koizumi Administration in 2002, Japan has operated various
approaches to turn its aspirations for the development of intellectual
property expertise into reality. This includes human resource
development through the setting up of an Intellectual Property
Strategy Headquarters, the new enforcement of the "Intellectual
Property Basic Act", and the amendment of related laws and regulations
such as Patent Law, Copyright Law, and the Unfair Competition
Prevention Act.

Recognizing the complication of assignments across ministries and
agencies that have existed in the past in the field of intellectual
property, the new examination builds a coalition of cross-sectional
cooperative structures to this area. The examination board
participates in the crossover traditional government agencies, such as
the Japan Patent Office, the Ministry of the Economy, Trade and
Industry (Office of Intellectual Property Policy), the Agency for
Cultural Affairs (Copyright Section) and the Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries (Seeds and Seedlings Division). In addition,
the board plays an active role in the traditional national
qualification bodies, notably the Japan Federation of Bar Associations
and the Japan Patent Attorneys Association.

The Examination Progresses from "Grade 1" Required Advanced
Practical Ability to "Grade 3" to Expand the Human Resource Capacity
within Intellectual Property

It divides into "Exam in Academic Subjects" and "Practical Exam",
which cover required basic knowledge and practical knowledge
respectively. Grade 1 evaluates advanced international intellectual
property management and practical strategic ability, in particular.
There is an oral examination for the practical element. It is
prohibited to take away exam papers, exceptionally.

This purpose of the examination is to refine and evaluate
practical skills. However, Grade 3 targets full members of the society
and students. The leaking of classified business information and
know-how, the sale of fake brand-name products and the sale of pirated
software in daily life are social issues. Therefore, this association
attaches importance to the development of intellectual property
through the Grade 3 examination to raise awareness of intellectual
property to address these issues.

Human Resource Development in Intellectual Property to Promote
Japan to the World Stage - Compliance with Intellectual Property
Education Program in the United Nations Agency for Grade 3

Additionally, the content and level of Grade 3 is compliant with
the Universal Intellectual Property Education Program developed by the
UNs´ World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). From the aspect
of international contributions to develop the real global economy
through the improvement of intellectual property mind internationally,
we have appealed to WIPO to offer all Grade 3 copyrights as a
voluntary conveyance for human resource development in foreign
countries.

We have been concerned to promote the understanding of the
intellectual property field through the "Intellectual Property Test"
(a total of more than 40,000 have taken part in exams from March
2004). Through the new "Intellectual Property Management Skills Test",
we increase our efforts, by way of precise exam management and PR
activity, as the nominated institution to contribute to the national
promotion of human resource development for intellectual property.

Summary

1) What is the Intellectual Property Management Skills Test?

The "Intellectual Property Management Skills Test" (hereinafter
"IPMST") is a test related to the profession of "Intellectual Property
Management", which is one of the skills test systems for the national
examination institution. The profession of "Intellectual Property
Management" is based on operational work within companies and
associations. Its aims are the creation, protection and utilization of
intellectual property of inventions, utility models, designs,
trademarks, trade secrets, and copyrighted work. In particular, this
profession is of value in creative business, patent mapping and
strategic planning for applications, and procedural management in its
protection sections; license strategic planning in its utilization
sections; and trade secret management in the management of
intellectual property. IPMST is an examination to assess the degree of
these skills and the related knowledge. The coverage and the level of
IPMST is compliant with "Intellectual Property Skill Standard" of the
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

("Intellectual Property Skill Standard" URL:
http://www.meti.go.jp/policy/ipss/index.html)

The Skills Test is a national examination system to determine and
officially recognize a working person´s skill according to certain
standards. It is operated by promoting the occupational knowledge,
skills and professionalism of workers. Furthermore, it contributes to
the development of industry based on the Human Resources Development
Promotion Law (governed by the Ministry for Health, Labour and
Welfare). The Skills Test has a significant role in increasing skills
and learning motivation, promoting employment stability and smoothing
reemployment, and improving the wider recognition afforded to people
working in the intellectual property field.

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2) Categories/Styles/Number of Questions for IPMST
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Category Test Style No. of Time
Questions Period
(min.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Grade 1 (Academic Subject) Paper Test (Answer
Sheet ) 45 100
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Grade 1 (Skill Test) Oral Exam Approx.
5 20
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Grade 2 (Academic Subject) Paper Test (Answer
Sheet ) 40 60
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Grade 2 (Skill Test) Paper Test (Answer
Sheet ) 40 60
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Grade 3 (Academic Subject) Paper Test (Answer
Sheet ) 30 45
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Grade 3 (Skill Test) Paper Test (Answer
Sheet ) 30 45
---------------------------------------------------------------------
*T

- About the Association of Intellectual Property Education -

The aim of the Association of Intellectual Property Education is
to spread knowledge and education within the intellectual property
field through the skills test system, and simultaneously to promote
the qualities and abilities of the human resources working in this
field. It also makes a significant contribution to the goals of an
Intellectual Property-Based Nation in our country. As specific
achievements, we became the nominated provider of the private
examination "The Examination of Proficiency in Intellectual Property"
(2004-March, 2008) which has had 40,000 examinees to date. The
Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare appointed us as the test agency
for the new national examination "Intellectual Property Management
Skills Test" on February 29, 2008.