The government is preparing to increase protection for intellectual property rights abroad regarding fruits and vegetables developed in Japan, after it was found that seeds and seedlings have been exported illegally and produced without authorization.
The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry plans to help domestic seed and seedling growers register overseas the varieties they develop in Japan.
It has been found that Benihoppe strawberries developed by Shizuoka Prefecture and Shine Muscat grapes developed by a Japanese research institute have been grown and sold in China without the developers’ permission.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: The Japan Times
