LES Japan Annual Meeting 2026 in Nara City
“Future Woven by Timeless Wisdom in the Ancient Capital of Nara”
© Nara City
- Date
- July 10 (Fri.) - July 11(Sat.), 2026
- Venue
-
HOTEL NIKKO NARA （Nara Japan）
https://www.nikkonara.jp/en/access/
Program
First Day (July 10)
| Time | Speakers | Venue | |
| "Option 1" Morning-14:35 |
Tour: 1) Ceramic Small Dish Painting Experience (Akahada-ware) 2) Lunch 3) Strolling Through the Traditional Streets of Naramachi |
||
| "Option 2" Morning-14:30 |
LESJ Golf Competition: Asuka Country Club | ||
| 15:00-15:15 | Opening Ceremony | Hotel Nikko Nara 4F "Hiten" |
|
| Keynote Speech1 15:20-16:30 |
Leveraging Technology and Intellectual Property in Deep Tech Startups | 
Mr. Motoshi SOBUE
Project Professor,Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Institute of Research Initiatives
PROFILE:
Mr. Motoshi SOBUE, Project Professor, Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Institute of Research Initiatives |
|
| Keynote Speech2 16:40-17:50 |
Cultural Properties and IP Rights: For the Development of the Field in the Digital and AI Era | 
Mr. Yuichi Takata
Chief Researcher,Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Department of Planning and Coordination, Data and Information Section
PROFILE:
Mr. Yuichi Takata, Chief Researcher, Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Department of Planning and Coordination, Data and Information Section |
|
| 19:10-21:00 | Banquet | Hotel Nikko Nara 4F "Hiten" |
|
| 21:00-23:00 | Friendship Night | Hotel Nikko Nara 4F "Hiten" 5F "Tenku" |
|
Second Day (July 11)
| Time | Speakers | Venue | |
| Workshops 8:30-10:00 |
WS(1) | U.S. Issues WG + Europe Issues WG of LES Japan | Hotel Nikko Nara 4F |
| WS(2) | Business Law and Intellectual Property Management WG of LES Japan | ||
| WS(3) | Academia and Industry R&D Collaboration Management WG of LES Japan | ||
| WS(4) | IP Finance WG + Branding WG of LES Japan | ||
| Panel Discussion 10:30-11:45 |
(Tentative title) Intellectual Property Licensing Evolving with Generative AI and DX: Strategy Shift in AI-First Era |
Moderator: Chikako Hashimoto Patent Attorney, Chief Manager, Trademark Department, Sakai International Patent Office Immediate Past President of LES Japan Panelist: Kumiko Takemori General Manager, Intellectual Property Department, Management Division, YUKIGUNI FACTORY CO., LTD. The First License Committee Chairperson, Japan Intellectual Property Association Keita Yonemori Assistant Manager, Medical Intellectual Property Division, Intellectual Property Technology Center 1, Corporate Intellectual Property and Legal Headquarters, CANON INC. The Second License Committee Chairperson, Japan Intellectual Property Association Fumio Imoto Senior Executive Professional / General Manager, IP Process Transformation Department, Intellectual Property Management and Rule Making/Standardization Division, NEC Corporation Hidenori Yorozu President, Yorozu Intellectual Property Strategy Consulting Co-Representative, Generative AI Utilization Promotion Council, Intellectual Property & Intangible Assets Governance Association Former Corporate Officer, General Manager of the Intellectual Property Department at Daio Paper Corporation |
Hotel Nikko Nara 4F "Hiten" |
| 11:45-12:15 | Closing Ceremony | ||
[INFORMATION]
1. Registration
The registration will start in early May and a registration form will be linked from this website. The registration will be JPY 29,000 plus the optional tour fee for early bird registration on or before June 8.
2. Accommodation
For Hotel reservation, please check a box in the registration form referred above. If you register for participation on or after May 26th, please make your hotel reservations directly with the hotel.
3. Option1: Tour
The tour bus will depart from Hotel Nikko Nara at 9:00 a.m. Participants arriving in Nara on the morning of the day will be picked up by bus at Kintetsu Nara station at 9:20 a.m. Please note that Kintetsu-Nara is different from JR Nara Station, which is located about a 15-minute walk away.
Please wear comfortable shoes and clothes for the experiences.
4. Option2: LESJ Golf Competition
Please come to Hotel Nikko Nara at 5:25 a.m. A bus will take you to the golf course. Breakfast will not be available at HOTEL NIKKO Nara. Please bring your own meal and eat on the bus. Alternatively, light meals will be available at the golf club restaurant from 6:30 a.m. Please change into your golf wear before getting on the bus, because there will not be much time before the starting time, 7:07 a.m.
5. Payment
Please pay the registration fee, optional tour fee, and golf competition fee in Japanese Yen by July 1 pursuant to an invoice to be sent. Please note that payment for accommodation is to be made at Hotel Nikko Nara.
For any inquiries about registration and payments, please contact LES Japan Administrative Office
(kles.nenji@ostec.or.jp)
6. Cancellation Policy
In the event of cancellation, please notify LES Japan Administrative Office by e-mail (kles.nenji@ostec.or.jp) immediately. Registration fee is non-refundable for cancellations made after July 6 (Mon). The Cancellation Fee will apply based on the date of notification of cancellation received by LES Japan Administrative Office.
In the event of cancellation of accommodations, the golf competition, the optional tour, a cancellation fee may be charged in accordance with each facility's terms and conditions. Please contact the LES Japan Administrative Office (kles.nenji@ostec.or.jp) for more details.
