Annual Conference

The IP & Innovation Researchers of Asia (IPIRA) Network organized the Seventh IP & Innovation Researchers of Asia (IPIRA) Conference on 4-6 April 2025 at Waseda University, Faculty of Law in Tokyo, Japan.

The Seventh IPIRA Conference was organized in cooperation with Waseda University, Faculty of Law, with the support of the following academic institutions, organizers of the previous editions of the Conference: the Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws, International Islamic University Malaysia; the Division of Business Law, Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University; Foreign Trade University; the Faculty of Law, Universitas Indonesia; Texas A&M University School of Law; and the Faculty of Law, University of Geneva. The Conference was additionally supported by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Japanese Patent Attorneys Association.

During the three days of the Conference, over 300 presenters and attendees gathered to discuss recent IP and Innovation developments. The Conference featured 42 parallel sessions spanning six sessions, each featuring seven thematic tracks. Presenters addressed key issues such as the impact of artificial intelligence on IP frameworks and sustainabilityIP commercialization, patent and trade secrets protection, international trade agreements, and the recent WIPO Treaties on Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge and Design.

The Conference also featured four Keynotes. Hasan Kleib, Deputy Director General of the Regional and National Development Sector of WIPO, highlighted the growing role of Asia as an innovation powerhouse and called on the academic community to consider how IP systems must evolve to address mounting global challenges, from digital disruptions to climate change and economic inequality. Johanna Hill, Deputy Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), emphasized the enduring connection between global trade and innovation, noting that well-designed, balanced IP frameworks are vital to enabling collaboration, attracting investment, and supporting inclusive growth. Their messages were complemented by insights from Takuya Yasui, Deputy Director of the Japan Patent Office, and Shuichiro Kitamura, President of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association, who offered regional and nuanced perspectives on IP policymaking.

The Conference Program is available here.

The Biographies of the Conference Speakers are available here.

Testimonials of presenters and attendees are available here.

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