Katsumi HARASHIMA
President, LES Japan

The Licensing Executives Society Japan (LES Japan) is a non-profit organization for individuals who are engaged and interested in intellectual property, licensing and technology transfer. LES Japan was established in 1972 as a member society of the Licensing Executive Society International (LES International), which has now 32 national/regional societies and over 10,000 individual members worldwide. LES Japan is one of the largest member societies of LES International, having more than 630 members, of which, approximately, 50% are business persons in wide variety of industries, 21% are attorneys at law in private practice, 20% are patent-attorneys in private practice, 4% are people from academia and 5% are others. This unique and well-balanced composition offers its members excellent opportunities to form networks with fellow members with diverse background, expertise and experience nationally and internationally. An outstanding feature of LES Japan is that all of its activities are based on mutual trust, volunteer sprit and friendly personal relationship among the members. The members are entitled to participate in “society life” through its annual national and international conferences, seminars and working group meetings, and thereby able to develop and expand each member’s own network.

LES Japan’s regular educational and study activities include monthly seminar meetings held both in Tokyo and Osaka, working group meetings on diverse issues related to intellectual property and licensing. It offers the Licensing Courses, including basic, advance and English drafting courses, mainly for, but not restricted to, junior people belonging to LES Japan members’ companies and firms, which are highly praised as to their quality by participants.

In addition to intra-society activities, LES Japan makes international contributions such as a good number of LES Japan members appearing as speakers in the International Patent Licensing Seminar every year and holding meetings with visiting IP experts and professionals.

LES Japan offers its members not only excellent opportunities to learn and study but also wonderful chances to enjoy various social events, and, as such, its acronym is sometimes said to stand for “the Learn and Enjoy Society” as well.

All people who are interested in IP and licensing are warmly invited to join LES Japan and learn and enjoy!