WIPO GREEN Welcomes Mr. Masafumi Yamamoto as Ambassador for Japan

Appointed in October 2024, Mr. Masafumi Yamamoto has been serving as WIPO GREEN Ambassador for Japan, bringing decades of expertise in intellectual property, sustainability, and corporate governance. He joins a growing group of distinguished WIPO GREEN Ambassadors, including the inaugural Ambassador in China, Mr. Zou Ling.

Appointed in October 2024, Mr. Masafumi Yamamoto has been serving as WIPO GREEN Ambassador for Japan, bringing decades of expertise in intellectual property, sustainability, and corporate governance. He joins a growing group of distinguished WIPO GREEN Ambassadors, including the inaugural Ambassador in China, Mr. Zou Ling.

Mr. Yamamoto brings to the role a wealth of experience from both government and industry. Currently Senior Associate Officer for global intellectual property strategy at Daikin Industries Ltd., he has held senior positions at the Japan Patent Office, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Cabinet Secretariat. His career reflects a deep commitment to innovation, compliance, and sustainability.

We spoke with Mr. Yamamoto about his vision for the Ambassadorship and Japan’s role in driving green innovation.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you think sustainable development is important?

I had been working as a civil servant in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for more than 30 years. I became a civil servant because I wanted to be of some help to society. About half of my civil service life I had been involved in work related to social rulemaking, such as drafting laws. In the field of intellectual property, I had been involved in the planning and implementation of Japan's pro-patent policy, including working in the Japan Patent Office for about five years.

I quit the METI 11 years ago and joined Daikin Industries. At Daikin, I have been working as an executive officer in charge of intellectual property, legal affairs and compliance. Since last year, I have been a senior associate officer in charge of global IP strategy. Daikin is the world's leading company of air-conditioning equipment and services, and its management philosophy emphasizes its contribution to the achievement of the SDGs. We aim to provide a good living environment for all the people in the world with Daikin's technologies. In the IP strategy, DAIKIN adopts a policy to open up many patents related to new refrigerant with low global warming potential.

Sustainable development is crucial because it establishes a framework for harmonious co-existence, where human needs are met without exhausting our planet's limited resources. As our global population continues to grow, the demand for resources intensifies, which might lead to environmental degradation, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. Sustainable development offers an alternative path, focusing on careful management and renewal of resources to foster economic growth that is not only rapid but also inclusive and environmentally conscious. This approach leads to a balanced ecosystem where economic advancement supports social progress and environmental stewardship. Without sustainable development, we risk leaving future generations with a world depleted of essential resources and diminished quality of life.

2. What unique role can Japan’s industry and innovation sector play in advancing global climate and sustainability goals?

Japan’s industries and innovation sectors have many excellent environmental technologies. They possess world-class number of patented technologies in the GX field, especially in energy-saving technologies, battery and energy storage technologies. In addition, Japan has technical standards in the fields of energy-saving technology, water treatment technology, smart grid technology, recycling technology, etc.

Taking advantage of these high-level technological capabilities, they make efforts to achieve carbon neutrality in the fields of home appliances and industrial equipment. For example, highly efficient air conditioners and refrigerators being used in Japan are designed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, Japan's culture of "kaizen" is constantly pushing the industrial sector towards more efficient and sustainable practices.

With such a high level of environmental technology and ever-advancing technological capabilities, Japan's industries and innovation sectors can make significant contributions to addressing the challenges faced by people around the world and achieving sustainable development in a wide range of fields, such as addressing climate change, promoting sustainable urban development, and improving resource efficiency.

3. What are your top priorities or areas of focus during your term as Ambassador?

My biggest mission as an Ambassador is to let people around the world, including those who need these technologies, know about Japan’s environmental technologies, and to act as a bridge so that they can actually use these technologies.

These technologies have the potential to be used by people who are facing various environmental challenges. Especially, patented technologies are given a guarantee by the patent office to meet patent requirements, including novelty and inventive step. These advanced technologies are sometimes difficult to understand, so I would like to introduce them in an easy-to-understand way, not only the contents of these technologies but also how to solve what kind of problems they can be used for. Also, I believe that the availability of licenses is an important factor when introducing patented technologies. Of course, it is up to the patentee whether or not to license but introducing a technology that is not open to licensing might ultimately discourage users. There are many patentees in Japan who want to have their patented technologies used under reasonable conditions, so I would like to introduce these technologies so that users can distinguish them from technologies that are not.

Many excellent technologies have been uploaded to the WIPO GREEN database, and its number is increasing every year. I hope I can contribute to introduce more technologies patented first in Japan in a more understandable and useful way. For starters, we started discussion with industrial sectors to publish a "Japan version of the WIPO GREEN Technology Book".

For achieving the above, it is essential that people from Japan's industries and innovation sectors are aware of WIPO GREEN, understand its significance, and have enthusiasm for cooperation. Explaining and motivating them thoroughly is my first job as an Ambassador in Japan.

I think the important incentive for Japan's industries and innovation sectors to register their technologies in WIPO GREEN is that even a small number of cases emerge where they meet users who are interested in and have them use it. For such cases to emerge, we need cooperation with various organizations including WIPO, the relevant UN agencies, and the government agencies of the countries concerned.

4. Why do you think innovators and industry leaders should use WIPO GREEN?

Many industries and innovative sectors in Japan hope their advanced environmental technologies will be used to solve global environmental issues. However, it is not easy for these technology holders to meet those who need them. WIPO GREEN is a global network that connects the two. Companies with environmental technologies are more likely to meet people who have needs for their technologies by participating in this network. WIPO GREEN's matching function may give them business opportunities using their technologies.

The “Seeds Side” such as companies in Japan first should make efforts to show and tell their own technologies in an easy-to-understand manner and to let the “Needs Side” know their advanced environmental technologies which will be a good solution for the problem.

As a WIPO GREEN Ambassador in Japan, I would like to reach out to Japan's innovators and industry leaders to encourage them to cooperate further.

On the other hand, I would like WIPO to find out the existence of specific needs for the technologies, and to provide information about them. Also, I expect that WIPO's matching function will be strengthened so that Japan's environmental technology holders can meet the needs of these technologies around the world, and that they will be able to make concrete projects.

I sincerely expect that with the cooperation of all stakeholders, the wonderful scheme of WIPO GREEN will lead to the desired results.