Japan Working to Forestall Loss of Domestic Fruit Varieties

May 8, 2018

Tokyo- Japan's agriculture ministry is ramping up efforts to prevent unintended outflows of domestically developed fruit varieties, following the discovery of unauthorized production of cherished types in South Korea and China.

The ministry aims to gain international protection for the intellectual property of local governments as well as seed and plant companies that develop fruit varieties of high quality, ministry officials said.

The efforts were prompted in part by the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games in South Korea in February. Members of the Japanese women's curling team, who won bronze in the event, were seen on television chowing down on South Korean strawberries during snack breaks in competition. The strawberries were likely a hybrid from varieties including Japanese names such as "Tochiotome," known for its large size and sweet taste.

The ministry has also found that Shine Muscat, a high-end grape variety that can be eaten with its peel, has been cultivated in China without permission.

"We should never allow outflows (of domestic varieties) or re-imports of underpriced products," a government official said, speaking about apple and peach varieties of which Japan hopes to boost exports.

In fiscal 2016, the ministry started using state funds to support the fruit variety registrations needed for every export destination country.

The export opportunities in Asia that have been lost from suspected Japan-originated South Korean strawberries alone are estimated at a maximum of 22 billion yen for the five years since fiscal 2012, according to the officials.

Believing that there is a growing need for legal steps, the ministry launched in April financial assistance for petitions for court injunctions ordering suspensions of unauthorized production.

Under international regulations on the protection of fruit varieties, developers and producers are required to file applications for registration no later than six years from the start of product sales in home countries.

Once registration is approved for a specific fruit variety in an export market, requests for court orders to stop unauthorized cultivation and claims for compensation can be filed. Reflecting potential royalty revenues, momentum has grown for local governments in Japan to apply to register new or improved varieties.

The government of Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, spent prefecture funds to finance the registration of popular strawberry variety "Amaou" in China and South Korea, before the state subsidy program was set up.

"Efforts to win registration are expected to pick up pace after the state became serious about promoting better understanding (on registration)," said an official of the prefectural government's agriculture, forestry and fisheries policy section. Jiji Press