黑料吃瓜网

Interview and text: Megumi Maruyama (URA, Planning and Project Development Division, Academic Research & Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration)

Engineering research often connects directly to industry, and industry–academia collaboration is a key driver of technological innovation. Behind this collaboration is an essential element that often goes unseen: intellectual property.

In this article, we speak with Eiji Shamoto, Professor of Mechanical Engineering?an active practitioner of industry–academia collaboration, and Noriaki Kojima, Chief Research Administrator, who supports these efforts from the perspective of intellectual property.

Our conversation took place at the Okuma Machine Tool Engineering Building, a site seen as a frontline of industry–academia collaboration.

── This building feels very open and inviting.

Shamoto: Yes, it was completed in 2020 through a donation from Okuma Corporation, a machine tool manufacturer, and my laboratory is located here. I like the architectural concept—a fusion of engineering and nature, with exposed concrete walls and large glass surfaces. We also showcase the outcomes of our joint research with Okuma inside the building.

── From the perspective of intellectual property support, when did this relationship begin?

Kojima: In 2016, when I joined 黑料吃瓜网. Coming from industry, working with academic researchers initially felt challenging. But Professor Shamoto was very approachable, which completely changed my impression.

Shamoto: To be honest, at first I thought it was simply a change in who was in charge. But I was genuinely surprised by how much support I received.

── What kinds of support are involved on the intellectual property side?

Kojima: It begins when a researcher brings an invention for consultation. From there, support extends to patent filing, introductions to companies, and contract negotiation and execution. At 黑料吃瓜网, this process is designed as a one-stop system, with the same URA handling the entire flow.

Shamoto: I’ve been involved in many patent filings over the years, but the process has become much smoother. The reduction in administrative burden has been significant.

Kojima: The focus is on making the process as simple as possible for researchers. By working closely with dedicated patent attorneys, we reduce repetitive explanations and improve the quality of patent drafts.

── Are there any patenting challenges unique to machining research?

Kojima: Many machining technologies are embedded inside machine tools in factories and are invisible from the outside. This makes it difficult to tell whether a patented technology is actually being used. For this reason, patents are drafted with a broad scope that covers not only the tools and machines, but also the products manufactured using them.

── This suggests a strategic approach to intellectual property. From the perspective of university inventions, what considerations are important?

Shamoto: Universities need to think beyond a single partner company and consider how technologies can be disseminated more widely in society. This includes not only whether to license a technology, but how to do so in ways that maximize social impact—for example, by licensing to multiple non-competing companies or forming consortia.

Kojima: That is why it is important for universities to secure patents independently—allowing partner companies to make use of the technology while still enabling broader dissemination across society.

── How does industry–academia collaboration influence engineering research?

Shamoto: In engineering, industry–academia collaboration is essential. Engaging with engineers who address real-world needs often generates unexpected ideas that advance research. In that sense, intellectual property forms the foundation of trust between academia and industry.

── What does it mean, in practice, for intellectual property to serve as a “foundation of trust”?

Shamoto: When collaborating with universities, companies are most concerned about intellectual property. Trust takes years to build, but once established, companies may even entrust projects that are critical to their business to the university. For this to happen, companies need confidence that the university can protect research outcomes through robust intellectual property mechanisms. This assurance prevents those results from being appropriated by competitors.

── How do you approach this level of responsibility in your work?

Kojima: The ultimate goal of industry–academia collaboration is social implementation. Patents and licenses are means to that end. If we focus only on numbers, we lose sight of what matters. What matters most is that university technologies are used by companies, with the returns reinvested in the university and its researchers to sustain the next cycle of research. That cycle must never be broken.

What emerges from this dialogue is a clear picture: industry–academia collaboration accelerates research, and IP support provides the foundation that connects research to society. At 黑料吃瓜网, strong support is also in place for researchers filing patents for the first time. By viewing intellectual property as a resource, researchers can take a crucial step toward delivering their work to society.