Secretary-General Daren Tang welcomed a new Government of Japan funding arrangement and a first financial contribution to support UPOV’s communication and awareness-raising activities on the benefits of UPOV’s plant variety protection (PVP) system.
Mr. Tang and Mr. Suginaka Atsushi, Director General of the Export and International Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF), signed on October 14, 2025, the Memorandum of Cooperation establishing a new “funds-in-trust” (FIT) program to strengthen and promote understanding of the PVP system and its benefits for stakeholders worldwide.
Japan has earmarked CHF 283,655 as its first voluntary donation to the FIT, which is separate to UPOV’s regular budget and will be used to support strategic UPOV work areas agreed under the FIT.
Welcoming the new FIT and Japan’s contribution, Mr. Tang said: “The work of UPOV is critical in supporting and driving agricultural innovation, but it is often not well known or understood outside of specialist circles. This is why the Government of Japan’s continued partnership and generous support is so important. This contribution will help us bring alive the value of UPOV and Plant Variety Protection to those on the ground and help the world better understand how UPOV’s mission is relevant to our daily lives – sustenance, sustainability, cuisine and culture.”
Ms. Minori Hagiwara, Director, International Affairs, Plant Variety Protection Office, MAFF said: “The development of the new FIT really came from Japan’ s own experience in spreading the importance of the UPOV system. We realized the need to deliver the actual voices and stories of farmers’ and society’ s benefits using the PVP system. It comes down to ownership and empowerment. You can see that PVP brings everyone in the value chain into the driver’s seat. We want more people to relate to, and be inspired through, these experiences.”
The new “JP/FIT Awareness Raising” program to run through March 31, 2029, supports the implementation of UPOV’s Strategic Business Plan, including initiatives under the Communication Strategy and Training and Assistance Strategy. Through these strategies, UPOV works to enhance awareness of the role of the UPOV system in fostering innovation in plant breeding and supporting sustainable agricultural development.
Japan’s new UPOV FIT reflects its long-standing commitment and cooperation in the delivery of solutions to farmers and growers through new and improved plant varieties.