Japan's Emerging Role in the Global Pharmaceutical Intellectual Property Regime: A Tale of Two Trade Agreements
Journal of World Intellectual Property, February 2018, DOI: 10.1111/jwip.12099
26 Pages Posted: 10 Feb 2018
Belinda Townsend
School of Regulation & Global Governance (RegNet)
Deborah Gleeson
La Trobe University
Ruth Lopert
George Washington University - Department of Health Policy; LWC Policy Consulting Inc.
Date Written: June 6, 2017
Abstract
This paper explores Japan’s role in reshaping the global pharmaceutical intellectual property regime by examining its position on the expansion of intellectual property rights (IPR) in negotiations for two regional trade agreements: the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Through systematic analysis of leaked negotiating texts documenting its positions on key issues, we demonstrate Japan is now playing a pivotal role in promoting the adoption of expanded IPRs. We show that its position as IPR champion in the Asia Pacific region reflects a domestic strategy initiated in 2013 to bolster pharmaceutical export growth. Drawing on past experience and focusing on the RCEP negotiations, we explore ways in which low and middle income countries might respond to this shift in order to protect and promote access to medicines.
Keywords: access to medicines, TRIPS, intellectual property, TPP, RCEP, trade, Trans Pacific Partnership, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, Japan, pharmaceuticals
JEL Classification: F13, F59, F69, I18
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Belinda Townsend (Contact Author)
School of Regulation & Global Governance (RegNet) ( email )
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200
Australia
Deborah Gleeson
La Trobe University ( email )
School of Psychology and Public Health
Victoria, 3068
Australia
+61 3 9479 3262 (Phone)
Ruth Lopert
George Washington University - Department of Health Policy ( email )
Washington, DC
United States
LWC Policy Consulting Inc. ( email )
Washington, DC 20005
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