Low level of licensing activities by universities in Japan

Abstract

With a series of institutional arrangements University-Industry Collaboration (UIC) activities in Japan have emerged since the late 1990s. This study examines the low licensing activities by universities in Japan because it is one of the serious problems universities are now facing. Interviews with the relevant technology transfer officers in major universities in Japan were conducted. Results show that co-ownership of patents, attitude of industry, and human resource and financial constraints exist behind the low licensing activities.