Can New Law End Outflow of Japanese Agricultural Brands?
Japan has revised its Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act to prevent the unauthorized export of new agricultural cultivars. This follows incidents where Japanese-developed fruits were grown and sold abroad before domestic registration was complete.
Why it matters
Protecting intellectual property in agriculture is vital for national economies that rely on high-value, specialized produce exports.
This year, Japan's Diet was moved to revise the nation's Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act by revelations surrounding a new mikan citrus cultivar, Asuki, developed by NARO, Japan's National Agriculture and Food Research Organization . NARO applied for official registration on this sugar-rich, flavorful mikan in 2017, with government approval in 2022. Seedlings went on sale in Japan in December 2020.
And yet, users began seeing fruit-bearing Asuki saplings on Chinese sales sites in April 2020, even before domestic approval and sales. The listings even included positive reviews citing the fruit's sweetness. It is a mystery how this new variety left Japan before the country could even officially register it.
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