The Japanese government wants to exempt information on patented technology items in 25 sectors, such as those for hypersonic and stealth flight, from being disclosed to beef up the country’s economic security, officials said Monday.
In a draft plan presented at a panel meeting, the government also outlined the types of infrastructure projects it will screen in 14 key sectors, including the utility industry, to bolster its response to cyberattacks.
A Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-35A stealth fighter jet takes off from Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture in northeastern Japan on March 10, 2022, to participate in a joint drill with the U.S. Air Force. (Photo courtesy of the Air Self-Defense Force)(Kyodo)
The government aims to implement the measures, based on the economic security promotion law enacted in May last year, around the spring of 2024, after soliciting public comments and formalizing them at a Cabinet meeting.
The law intends to address the intensified global competition in the high-tech sector, particularly with China, and the rapidly changing security environment due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Patented technologies in the 25 designated areas will also cover items such as isotope separation techniques for uranium and plutonium in the nuclear sector, as well as those used in electromagnetic pulse weapons or missile defense systems.
The government will consider compensating patent holders when their technologies are designated for protection, according to the officials.
Under the law, those who leak undisclosed patent information protected under the new plan could face penalties, including imprisonment of up to two years.
Also, based on the law, the Japanese government in December designated 11 key fields, including semiconductors, batteries and rare earths, as critical materials that need to be secured stably even in times of emergency.
The law comprises four pillars — securing a stable supply of important goods, supporting the development of key technologies, screening of basic infrastructure projects and withholding certain patents related to sensitive technologies from public view.
