Japan to strengthen international IP for fruits and vegetables
The Japanese government is set to increase intellectual property rights protection for fruits and vegetables, after it discovered that seeds have been exported and produced illegally.
The government’s Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry intends to progress the issue by helping Japanese seed and seedling growers register IP overseas, according to a report by national newspaper Japan Times on August 22.
It also reported that the government found that Japanese-developed strawberries and grapes have been grown and sold in China without permission.
New plant varieties are protected in Japan for up to 30 years under the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act, but many of the developers do not register abroad because of high costs and lengthy procedures.
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