ERIA Co-Organises 6th ASEAN–Japan Patent Experts Meeting to Strengthen Patent Quality Management

Singapore, 10 March 2026: Patent experts from across Southeast Asia and Japan gathered in Singapore on 10 March 2026 for the 6th ASEAN-Japan Patent Experts Meeting, co-organised by ERIA, the Japan Patent Office (JPO), and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).

Now in its sixth year, the meeting has been held annually since 2020 under the ASEAN-Japan Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Meeting framework. It brings together practitioners from ASEAN Member States (AMS) and Japan to discuss practical challenges in the regional patent landscape and share approaches to strengthening patent examination practices.

This year's meeting focused on patent quality management, particularly how intellectual property (IP) offices conduct quality audits and examination checks. Eighteen delegates from ASEAN IP offices participated in the discussions, addressing the shared challenge of managing increasing volumes of patent applications while ensuring consistent examination standards.

Dr Takayuki Yamanaka, ERIA's Chief Operating Officer, opened the meeting by highlighting the institute's commitment to advancing regional economic integration and strengthening ASEAN-Japan co-operation. He reaffirmed ERIA's support for the ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights Action Plan 2026-2030, particularly efforts to enhance IP rights enforcement and institutional capacity across the region.

During the meeting, Ms Fitri Astari Asril, Research Associate for Intellectual Property Rights at ERIA, presented findings from a 2-year ERIA study on patent examination practices in pharmaceutical and related fields. The research identified areas of convergence amongst ASEAN IP offices, while also highlighting differences in examination approaches in pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. The findings underscored the importance of continued dialogue and collaboration amongst AMS.

A key highlight of the meeting was the JPO's presentation on its patent quality audit system, including elements of its audit checklist. During the discussion session, participants exchanged views on critical aspects of patent examination, such as the assessment of inventive step and the importance of feedback mechanisms in maintaining high examination standards. While approaches vary across ASEAN IP offices and Japan, participants recognised the value of sharing experiences and best practices.

The meeting reflects the growing momentum in ASEAN-Japan co-operation on intellectual property and innovation. Its outcomes will be reported to the 16th ASEAN-Japan Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Meeting scheduled for later this year.

ERIA hopes that continued exchanges through the Patent Experts Meeting will further strengthen co-operation amongst ASEAN and Japanese IP offices, support capacity building in patent examination, and contribute to the development of a more effective and consistent intellectual property system across the region.