The Nitta Group's basic policy is to endeavor to preserve intellectual property and to act appropriately while taking care not to infringe on the rights of others. In intellectual property activities, the Nitta Group attaches importance to various types of research, such as continuous monitoring of patent publications, on each business theme.
In addition, with the aim of realizing the "Deeper Shift" and "Exploratory Shift" in our company's medium- to long-term management plan, SHIFT2030, the Nitta Group is promoting in-depth and exploratory intellectual property activities, respectively, to strengthen existing businesses and contribute to the creation of new products and businesses. First, as for in-depth intellectual property activities, we are developing an organization that can realize effective intellectual property activities for the execution of business strategies by visualizing intellectual property information and collaborating with R & D organizations and divisional technical organizations to deeply examine it under a common understanding.
As an example of such organizational development, members of the intellectual property organization strive to improve their intellectual property practical skills by systematically acquiring, improving, and strengthening various skills. In addition, our company is promoting human resources development that combines business and intellectual property perspectives by conducting continuous intellectual property education for R & D organizations and divisional technical organizations, so that they can engage in strategic activities in collaboration. Second, as for exploratory activities, we are strengthening the utilization of intellectual property information. With the goal of acquiring organizational capabilities that can utilize intellectual property information, we are establishing a system that can provide information that contributes to business decisions, such as exploring new businesses and expanding existing businesses. By conducting both intellectual property education and the utilization of intellectual property information, we will promote trinity activities and create a system that supports the realization of more effective intellectual property activities. Through these intellectual property activities, we will maximize business profits.

1. Patent searching (intellectual property-related activities in line with basic policy)

   While striving to respect the rights of other companies and minimize the risk of infringement, as per the Code of Conduct, Nitta business divisions work together to perform systematic and continuous monitoring of patents in official gazettes. We are also 100% focused on promptly performing patent filing searches, infringement prevention searches, and invalid document searches.

2. Level-specific intellectual property education and intellectual property conceptual-skill-improvement training (deepening of intellectual property-related activities)

   We design and implement level-specific intellectual property education led by in-house instructors and using original content. The level-specific intellectual property education is held on an ongoing basis utilizing a curriculum designed with three levels to equip technical staff with essential skills tailored to their level and needs (human resource development).
   In intellectual property conceptual-skill-improvement training, intellectual property managers, who have sufficient understanding of business strategy and what is needed to implement this strategy, provide participants with a visualization of intellectual property that contributes to business strategy. This ensures a mutual understanding among business divisions and intellectual property divisions and leads to the practical use of intellectual property (intellectual property utilization practice).

3. Supporting intellectual property information utilization: IP landscaping (searching of intellectual property-related activities)

   Along with visualizing and ascertaining our own technological status (1C map), we ascertain our position relative to competitors (2C map) and come up with strategic proposals via IP landscaping, which also includes non-patented information (3C map), using each as the situation demands. Also, in order to enhance our capacity for intellectual property analysis, we are cultivating more employees to serve as intellectual property analysts.

We use both deepening and searching of intellectual property activities to support strategic business. We will continue the ongoing evaluation of our investment in intellectual property in a virtuous cycle of effective intellectual property activities.