Core Policy
Strategically link the Group's intellectual property and international standardization activities to front-load business initiatives, ensure competitiveness, grow new markets, set the stage for future growth, and offer solutions to social challenges. These focus areas are meant to transform the Group into innovative companies that create sustainable management in support of Group-wide businesses, marketing, sales, and research and development.
Contribution of intellectual property activities
Mitsubishi Electric Group's intellectual property in numbers
Intellectual Property Policy for Managing Sustainability
Solving social challenges through economic rationality is required in order to manage sustainability. The problem of tackling these exceedingly difficult and costly challenges alone can be resolved by establishing a framework and ecosystem for 'co-creation' where multiple, unrelated business entities are able to collaborate.
Effective co-creation requires following the rules and regulations of the country where businesses are located. Pro-active involvement in international standards and rule-making are one such necessary step in establishing a co-creation ecosystem where intellectual property can be secured by each respective company and rules for the utilization of such intellectual property can be put in place.
Structure to Support Intellectual Property and Standardization and the State of Intellectual Property Activities
The essential structure of Mitsubishi Electric Group's intellectual property consists of the intellectual property departments at our factories, R&D centers, affiliated companies, and the Intellectual Property Division at Mitsubishi Electric's head office that provides overall supervision.
The various intellectual property centers throughout the Group have been merged to enable more effective collaboration and activities that meet the needs of the Group. In FY2023, an all-encompassing IP Strategy Division was established within the Corporate Intellectual Property Division (CIPD). Expanding on the work of the IP Strategy Division, a Standardization Strategy Section was created in FY2024 and an IP Transaction Section was established in FY2025.
The IP Strategy Division and the Sections within it are responsible for conducting ever greater intellectual property activities, international standardization activities, and being involved in co-creation that leverage the technology assets held by the Group.
The Corporate Intellectual Property Division (CIPD) is also assigning intellectual property representatives located in key countries and regions for the purpose of enhancing local intellectual property capabilities and to work alongside the intellectual property divisions of the Group's overseas associated companies to undertake measures against counterfeit products.
The creation of intellectual property in a respective country will align with the level of business that the Group has in the country.
International standardization activities are currently utilizing our Group's European locations, but going forward, the Group will enhance global standardization activities at Mitsubishi Electric Group locations not only in Europe, but in other regions, as well.
The goal of the Group is to develop a robust and globally regarded patent network by strategically increasing overseas patent filings that are foreseen to increase in proportion to growth in overseas revenue.
Key Themes
Themes that require Group-wide response due to changes in business environments are proposed by the Corporate Intellectual Property Division (CIPD) that takes the lead in promoting intellectual property and international standardization activities alongside other business headquarters and affiliated Group companies.
The Corporate Intellectual Property Division (CIPD) has selected the following important themes that reflect intellectual property and materiality issues:
- “Realizing a sustainable global environment”
- “Realizing a safe, secure, and comfortable society”
- “Respecting all people”
Example of important themes
Change to the intellectual property portfolio taking into consideration corporate strategy
FLOW (Number of applications)
The Group is strengthening AI (including generative AI) and solution-related patent applications in order to accelerate the Group's transformation into an innovative company.
Since FY2021, the Corporate Intellectual Property Division (CIPD) has set a target ratio for the number of patent applications filed by the Company and established the ratio as a key performance index (KPI). The goal is to increase this ratio for solution-related patents filed.
Although the Group has already achieved its targets for AI-related patent applications, the Corporate Intellectual Property Division (CIPD) will maintain the target values going forward and focus on improving quality.
Number of Patents Owned
Component-related patents account for more than 50% of the patents we hold worldwide.
While ensuring the Group's international competitiveness in terms of the patent portfolio, the Mitsubishi Electric Group's businesses will continue to be supported through the strengthening of the technologies that support strong components and advanced digital technologies in order to create new value that leverage the data obtained through Serendie.
Acquiring global intellectual property rights
The Mitsubishi Electric Group is accelerating the globalization of its intellectual property activities by filing applications in advance of business expansion in emerging countries where future business is expected. In addition, the Group has stationed representatives in charge of intellectual property activities at each of our locations in the United States, Europe, China, and Southeast Asia, to support the strengthening of the intellectual property capabilities of our business bases, research institutes, and affiliated companies in each country, as well as to collect, research, and analyze information on policies and international standardization trends related to the laws and regulations across the globe.
Indicators of the globalization of Mitsubishi Electric Group's intellectual property capabilities and activities include the Group ranking 3rd in Japan for the number of patent registrations (2024) as announced by the Japan Patent Office (JPO), ranked 7th in the world (and first Japan domestic company) for the number of top international applications (2024) announced by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Companies ranked by the number of international patent applications in 2024
Patent Cooperation Treaty Yearly Review 2025 (WIPO)
Companies ranked by the number of Japanese patent registration in 2024
JPO Status Report 2025 (JPO)
Location of overseas intellectual property representatives
Open Technology Bank
Open Technology Bank (OTB) was established in FY2022 to promote internal and external collaboration by Mitsubishi Electric Group using intellectual property as a starting point to realize a sustainable future.
By strategically utilizing intellectual property (IP) as a tool for co-creation, the Group works to create new businesses that can contribute to solving social challenges.
In FY2025, Open Technology Bank (OTB) was recognized as an intellectual property achievement by the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and its awarding of the Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office Award to the Group as an open innovation promotion company.
Enhancing international standardization activities
Digitalization is changing industry structures in a direction where products and services are connected beyond the boundaries of companies and industries.
In response to this, international standardization is becoming increasingly important as a means to expand and acquire global markets.
Mitsubishi Electric Group is also actively working to shape industry rules through its active participation in international standardization activities while also nurturing human resources in standardization.
Holding key positions in international Standards Development Organizations (SDO) and leading global activities within such
Approximately 1,200 members of Mitsubishi Electric Group participate in international standardization activities, including in positions as key figures in international standardization organizations with the aim of strengthening activities to secure market superiority through rule formation.
In recognition of the Group's leadership in international standardization activities and collaboration with diverse stakeholders to help solve social challenges, Group members received two awards in FY2025 under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Industrial Standardization Awards: Prime Minister’s Award, and Director-General of Innovation and Environment Policy Bureau Award.
| NAME and AFFILIATTION | Organization | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Toru Oka, Chief Officer, Intellectual Property and Standardization | IEC *1 | Member of Market Strategy Board (MSB) |
| Atsushi Miyoshi, Corporate Intellectual Property Div. | IEC *1 | Secretary of System Committee Active Assisted Living (AAL) |
| Yukimasa Nagai, IoT Life Solution Business Strategy Center | IEEE *2 | Secretary of IEEE 802.19 (Wireless Coexistence) Working Group |
- *1International Electrotechnical Commission
- *2Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Examples of initiatives
High-precision positioning
In Japan, the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) Centimeter Level Augmentation Service (CLAS) is provided as national infrastructure for high-precision positioning, with the Mitsubishi Electric Group extensively engaged in the development of this system.
To improve international interoperability, the Group is promoting the standardization of high-precision positioning in ICG*1 and RTCM*2.
The CLAS data format has been adopted as a 3GPP*3 *4 5G international standard, leading the way for global adoption.This standard will contribute to market development and solutions to social challenges in areas such as autonomous driving, agriculture IT, and disaster prevention.
- *1International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems
- *2Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Service
- *3Third Generation Partnership Project
- *43GPPTM is a registered trademark of ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)
Human Resource Development and Internal Qualification System
The Mitsubishi Electric Group operates an in-house qualification system aimed at improving practical skills in intellectual property development and international standardization, including educational programs for this purpose.
The Group has established four qualifications according to responsibilities, along with an educational system tailored to those qualifications. Additionally, the Group has established a certification system for qualifying intellectual property analysts.
Human resource development and internal qualification system
Awards
The Mitsubishi Electric Group's track record in the intellectual property and international standardization field has received high praise from outside businesses and industry.
Intellectual Property
| Clarivate Top 100 Global Innovators 2025 |  |
Recipient of the award thirteen times in recognition as one of the world's top 100 companies for innovation with outstanding intellectual property |
| The Intellectual Property Achievement Awards for 2025;Awards from Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office [Open innovation promotion companies] |  |
Awarded in recognition of the activities to promote collaboration within and outside the Mitsubishi Electric Group based on intellectual property. The Group was also highly acclaimed for its open innovation initiative. |
Mitsubishi Electric Group members recognized for their work in international standards
Prime Minister’s Awards: The Industrial Standardization Awards Kazuhiko Tsutsumi (2024)
Director-General of the Innovation and Environment Bureau’s Awards: The Industrial Standardization Awards Shoji Yoshioka (2024)
Director-General of the Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau’s Awards: The Industrial Standardization Awards Takanori Okuda (2023), Takenori Baba (2023)
TTC* Chairman's Award (ICT Award)
Yukimasa Nagai (2025)
* Telecommunication Technology Committee
IEC 1906 Awards
Hidetoshi Nakanishi (2025)
Kazuhiko Nakane (2023)
Respecting Intellectual Property Rights
The Mitsubishi Electric Group firmly recognizes the importance of mutually acknowledging and respecting not only its own intellectual property rights, but the intellectual property rights of others, as well. This stance is clearly set forth in the Mitsubishi Electric Group Conduct Guidelines and practiced throughout the Group.
In order to prevent infringement on the intellectual property rights of others, various educational measures are provided primarily to engineers and intellectual property officers in order to raise employee awareness and promote greater respect for the intellectual property rights of others. At the same time, a set of rules are in place to ensure that a survey of the patent rights of others by Mitsubishi Electric Group is carried out at every stage from development to production. The Mitsubishi Electric Group places particular weight on collaborating with industry organizations while approaching government agencies, both in Japan and overseas, as a part of a wide range of measures to prevent the counterfeiting of Group products.