Introduction
We are pleased to announce that Ms. Mika Shibata, a patent attorney at our firm, Takaoka IP, has been recognized by the Japan Patent Office (JPO) as one of the 13 active women in the field of intellectual property, highlighted in their publication “Women Active in the Intellectual Property Ecosystem, the Key to Revitalization.”
The link to the report is as follows, though it is available only in Japanese:
https://www.jpo.go.jp/news/diversity/document/index/gender_di_jirei.pdf
Innovation promotion requires leveraging the strengths of all talents, including women and young people. Under this belief, the field of intellectual property has seen a growing global movement to promote diversity and inclusion in recent years. The Japan Patent Office (JPO) recognizes the importance of this issue and is advancing initiatives to promote Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) to create a society where individuals from various backgrounds and with diverse values can unleash their creativity. In 2023, the JPO established a ‘Diversity & Inclusion Team’ composed of cross-organizational members within the Patent Office. The JPO’s publication ‘Women Active in the Intellectual Property Ecosystem, the Key to Revitalization’ was released as an outcome of such efforts.
Innovation and Diversity
The summary of the report (https://www.jpo.go.jp/news/diversity/document/index/gender_di_youyaku.pdf) on page 13 states the following:
- As customer values and perceptions diversify, diversity becomes extremely important for understanding needs.
- Sustainable growth cannot be achieved by viewing the needs of the world from a uniform perspective. It is necessary to always be aware of increasing sensitivity to diversity, including gender diversity.
- A team with a rich diversity environment benefits from the variety of opinions that emerge. Of course, there are also moments that are difficult to understand, but that is a step towards creating new value, so it is basically seen as a positive thing.
- Intellectual property demonstrates its true value not only in creating something from nothing but also in expanding created value from 1 to 100 or 200. When expanding created value from 1 to 100 or 200, it is necessary to enrich it with diverse perspectives. Therefore, to respond to diverse innovations, it is considered necessary to expand innovations created with the perspectives of diverse human resources.
Recognition of Ms. Mika Shibata
Ms. Mika Shibata, a patent attorney at Takaoka IP, is one of the 13 women recognized in the intellectual property field by the Japan Patent Office. As part of this recognition, she participated in an interview where she shared her insights. The interview is on page 14 of “Women Active in the Intellectual Property Ecosystem, the Key to Revitalization.”
In the interview, Ms. Shibata responded to the question, ‘What do you find most appealing about your current work?’ with the following:
“I feel that one of the main attractions is the ability to utilize my expertise. In my case, having knowledge of both intellectual property and chemistry is extremely beneficial in my work. Another appealing aspect is the potential to broaden the scope of my work based on my interests. For example, I have always enjoyed public relations activities, and I now have opportunities to leverage that experience in my current position. I am also pleased to be involved in international work. Communicating with overseas agents in English is stimulating.”
Ms. Shibata’s expertise lies in chemistry, and she regularly participates in international conferences such as the International Trademark Association (INTA). Her contributions and active involvement in the global intellectual property community highlight her commitment to advancing the field and promoting gender diversity.
