Recent Trends in Access to and Sharing of the Benefits of Genetic Resources (ABS) in Japan - in connection with the adoption of the Nagoya Protocol

Objectives : The 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 10) was held in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010, during which an international convention on access to genetic resources and conventional knowledge and sharing of benefits thereof was adopted. The Oriental Medicine field uses medicinal herbs based on genetic resources, as well as traditional knowledge about genetic resources. As such, if Korea, China and Japan compete over the ownership of such traditional knowledge, it will almost certainly trigger disputes over the payment of royalties among other problems. Notably, since the traditional medicine industry is closely related with China, it is highly likely this will adversely affect Korea's production of medicines using natural materials, including Korean herbal doctors' prescription, formulation and preparation of medicinal herbs. Methods : This study also analyzed the recent situation in Japan, which is the chair nation of the Nagoya Protocol and a member nation like Korea. It analyzed the Japanese people's awareness of the Nagoya Protocol and its strategies in the two years since its adoption, as well as the Guidelines for Genetic Resources, which were newly revised in 2012. Conclusions : The Nagoya Protocol requires the preparation of legislative and administrative measures and policies in order to pave the way for sharing the benefits deriving from the use of genetic resources and the relevant traditional knowledge with the providers of such resources. Thus, corresponding domestic legal measures need to be taken. Such measures include the refining of the procedure of accessing genetic resources, the designation of liaison offices, a competent agency and a supervisory agency, and the building of a system designed to issue internationally acknowledged certificates. It is also important to operate related professional consulting offices, as is the case in Japan. In addition, in the case of genetic resources, there is a need to seek multinational and bilateral cooperation including free trade agreements. Regarding traditional knowledge about genetic resources, measures need to be prepared to enable the three East Asian countries, namely, Korea, China and Japan, to commonly use ancient literature on Oriental medicine and to claim exclusive rights to such intellectual properties. Notably, with China now moving to expand the scope of traditional knowledge through the WIPO, Korea needs to prepare response measures.

일본의 '유전자원 접근 및 이익 공유(ABS)'에 관한 최근 동향 - "나고야의정서"의 채택과 관련하여 -