Partnership

Committee activities and opinion sharing of executives of corporate organizations

Executives of Canon Inc.'s Intellectual Property Legal Division holds positions in a number of organizations in the intellectual property industry. Hideki Sanatake, Head of Corporate Intellectual Property and Legal Headquarters Managing Executive Officer, Canon Inc., serves as a councilor of Foundation for Intellectual Property and Osamu Iketa, Deputy Group Executive Corporate Intellectual Property and Legal Headquarters Executive Officer, Canon Inc., holds positions as a director of Japan Institute for Promoting Invention and Innovation. In addition, other executives of the Intellectual Property Headquarters also hold key positions, such as councilor of Japan Patent Information Organization, Chairman of the Japan Business Machine and Information System Industries Association (JBMIA) IP Committee, Executive Director of the Japan Intellectual Property Association, and Director of AIPPI JAPAN (International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property of Japan). Through these organizations, they are striving to develop the global IP ecosystem, and promote Japanese industry as a whole, by conveying their opinions to the Government of Japan and the world as representatives of Japanese corporate organizations.

This willingness to actively serve as executives of intellectual property-related organizations is not confined to Japan. Matthew Hitching, Senior Director and Head of IP at Canon Europe in the UK, has accepted the role of Trade Committee Chair of the IP Federation and represents the IP Federation in the UK Domestic Advisory Group, and is working hard to improve the IP framework in Europe and beyond. In addition, members of the Intellectual Property division around the world are participating in the committees of various intellectual property-related organizations and are making efforts to contribute to committee activities. It is through the committee activities of these organizations that we spread our own built-up knowledge, while expanding our networks of contacts in the intellectual property industry, and build relationships that enable us to share various information with other companies.

(As of July 31, 2025)