Japan to pay companies to keep sensitive patents secret- Nikkei

Japan’s National Diet Building is pictured in Tokyo, Japan, May 31, 2021. (Reuters)

Japan will compensate companies to keep secret patents with potential military applications under proposed legislation, the Nikkei reported on Sunday, without citing sources.

The patents under review of the proposed economic security legislation will include technology that can help develop nuclear weapons, such as uranium enrichment and cutting-edge innovations like quantum technology, the Nikkei report said.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last month pledged that he will put economic security of the nation among his policy priorities.

The Japanese government will give compensation of roughly 20 years of licensing income to the companies falling under the legislation, the report added.

The framework of the legislation will be released as soon as next month, the report said, with cabinet approval scheduled for February 2022 and expected application of the measures in fiscal 2023.