- Japan had long been second only to the US in international patent applications, but was surpassed by China in 2017, worrying Japanese policymakers about competitiveness. - In response, China introduced intellectual property education in schools starting in 2020, recognizing that children's ideas combined with adult knowledge of the patent system could lead to inventions. - As a case study, an 11-year-old Japanese girl invented a bike parking system and was granted a patent in 2017 with help from her patent attorney father understanding the filing process. - The Japanese government and Patent Office have since launched educational initiatives to teach intellectual property in schools starting in 2018, with the goal of fostering creativity and helping Japanese companies be more innovative in the future

1. Japan’s plan to educate
children about patents
Until 2016, Japan came second only to the US in terms of international
patent applications. In 2017, China took their place, according to the
World Intellectual Property Organisation.
This has naturally worried Japanese policy makers in the race to become
the most technologically advanced country.
China’s strategy
China’s patent strategy has been two-fold. Not only are they aggressively
pushing corporations to file for patents in the West, but they also
introduced intellectual property (IP) education in schools.
By the academic year of 2020, they plan to have 1,100 model schools
showing the benefits of IP education. This approach recognises that
children can bring ideas, and combined with adult knowledge of the

2. system, can come up with inventions, products and services that can be
granted patents.
Case study
An 11-year-old called Hitomi Hirabayashi invented a bike parking system
utilising magnetic force to keep bikes from impeding each other when
removed. Her father is a patent attorney and was able to help her
understand how to file for a patent, helping her only minimally throughout
the process. The result was that she was granted a patent in November
2017.
She’s far from the only child to have been awardeda patent in Japan.
Parents are increasingly encouraging their kids to learn how to file a patent
application. One father/daughter team has taken this a step further with
their start-up set up specificallyto help young inventors commercialise
their work through patents.
The company is called Yakuni-tatsumono-tsukuro, which means “Let’s
create something useful” and aims to help obtain patents for ideas that
come out of school projects.
Supporting children’s education
This scenario of older people encouraging children to free their ideas is a
role that the government has started to take on as well.The Japan Patent
Office has launched an online guide called JPO Kids Page. Designed in
Manga style it aims to capture the children’s imagination and encourage
them to learn about patent applications and how they can make their ideas
a reality.
The government also amended curriculum guidelines in March 2017 and
asked elementary and junior high schools to start teaching IP voluntarily in
the 2018 academic year, which just started in April. In 2020, IP matters
will be given space in elementary school text books and by 2021 in junior
high textbooks too.
These kinds of initiatives are running to “foster the abilities to create new
things from the questions and challenges that emerge every day, not just
offer detailed information, such as how to receive a patent”, according to
the JPO’s Strategy Promotion Bureau.

3. The government clearlyhopes that by introducing patent education at a
young age, this will feed through into the future of commercial endeavours
and help Japanese companies be increasingly competitive and innovative.
Commercial creativity
The world of Intellectual Property (IP) law is a fascinating window into
this kind of commercial creativity, and offers attorneys, solicitors and
many other IP professionals to work closelywith inventors of all kinds. If
this sector of law interests you and you’re looking to enter the industry, or
you’re working in the profession and looking to change roles,then talk to
the team at Dawn Ellmore Employment.