Itsuo SHIBATA

    He worked in Mitsubishi Electric Corporation as an engineer to design computer hardware for 13 years.  In 1992, he joined a patent profession.  Since then, his work has primarily concerned patents relating to scientific fields such as electronics, physics, communications, and optics including quantum optics and fiber optics.

    He got B. S. in Science (Physics, The University of Tokyo, 1977) and M. A. in Science (Graduate School of High-Energy Physics, The University of Tokyo, 1979). 

    Prior affiliation includes Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Soei International Patent Firm, and Tateishi & Co., Patent firm.

Fujiko SHIBATA

    After graduating from Saitama University, she joined Nippon Roche Research Center (Japan Branch of Hoffman la Roche in Switzerland) as a researcher for 13 years.  She researched bioscience such as interferon and anti-cancer agents.She handles both domestic and foreign patent applications, also trademark applications including Madrid protocol cases.  She had experiences for an appeal against decision of rejection, invalidation trial, and litigation for a trial decision.  She also handles license agreement both in Japanese and English, and collaborative research. She deals with patents relating to scientific fields such as pharmaceuticals, immunology, biotechnology, environmental science, and hydrogen battery.  She manages both domestic and foreign patent cases, appeals, invalidation trials, and litigation cases.  She also deals with trademark cases including Madrid protocol cases.  She manages license agreement both in Japanese and in English, and conducts collaborative research.

    She got Bachelor in Engineering, Saitama Univ.  At present, she is a vice chair of IP committee for Agriculture, Fishery and Forest of JPAA.

    She was a vice president of JPAA in April 2019 - March 2020,  a deputy director general of International Activities Center in April 2015 - March 2019, and was a main organizer of Women in IP Law meeting in Tokyo in 2011 - 2023.

Hirohisa KAMBARA, Ph.D.

    At Faculty of Science and Graduate School of Faculty of Science, the University of Tokyo, he majored in chemistry of organic materials. After graduating from Graduate School of the University of Tokyo, he studied optoelectronics in NTT.  For the study of optoelectronics, he got Ph. D. from Graduate School of Faculty of Science, the University of Tokyo.  He took a new job as a patent attorney in an international patent law firm in Tokyo.  In 2025, he joined Ayafune International Patents & Trademarks PPC.

    He got B. S. in Science (Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo), M. A. in Science (Graduate School of Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo), and Ph.D. in Science (Graduate School of Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo).