The Ajinomoto Group positions the technologies, ideas, designs, and other forms of knowledge created through "AminoScience" as technological assets, one of the key intangible assets that form the foundation of value creation. We maximize the value of these intangible assets and support sustainable business growth by protecting and utilizing intellectual property strategically created in close collaboration with our business and R&D divisions. The Group also established the Group Shared Policy on Intellectual Property and continues implementing and strengthening intellectual property strategies that contribute to the co-creation of social and economic value under ASV management. To do so, we develop and utilize an intellectual property portfolio from a global perspective. Our specific initiatives are as follows.
1. Acquire intellectual property rights strategically and efficiently for the core technologies that drive our business
2. Integrate external technologies and collaborate actively through open innovation and other related initiatives
3. Utilize the Group’s proprietary technologies and enforce IP rights through licensing, litigation, and other means
4. Protect product goodwill and enhance brand value based on the trademark system
5. Minimize the risk of infringement by conducting thorough assessments with respect to the third-party's intellectual property rights
6. Provide survey and analytical data to the Group’s business and R&D departments
7. Cultivate human resources capable of IP-related tasks and utilize both internal and external networks
We also take appropriate measures to protect intellectual property value and prevent the leakage or loss of trade secrets to safeguard the outcomes of our technology investments and maintain a fair competitive environment. The Ajinomoto Group takes a firm stance toward companies that infringe on our IP rights and we protect these rights through warnings and filing infringement lawsuits, among other actions. In October 2025, we filed a patent infringement lawsuit against a Chinese corporate group. The information planning department and intellectual property department plan and execute defensive measures to protect trade secrets. In collaboration with the internal auditing department, these departments carry out overall internal control related to trade secret management and protection for the Group. We revised our trade secret management standards in fiscal 2025 in response to advances in digitalization and increased external collaboration, aiming to strengthen governance and reflect evolving business operations and technological changes.
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. supervises intellectual property (patents, designs, trademarks, etc.) for the entire Ajinomoto Group in line with Instructions Regarding Licensing and Administration of Intellectual Property. The Company works with the specialized IP staff, key personnel, and research and development sites of Group companies in Japan and overseas, as well as with patent and law firms in each country, to acquire intellectual property globally and eliminate counterfeit products and the unauthorized use of brands by utilizing intellectual property. We centralize intellectual property searches and maintenance operations with our affiliate, Intellectual Property Expert Co., Ltd., to improve efficiency and consistency. 162 As of March 31, 2025, the Ajinomoto Group owns 4,283 patents and 5,764 trademarks, and utilizes them across the globe under this structure.
The Ajinomoto Group places a strong emphasis on IP training for employees, aiming to apply IP across business activities by raising employee awareness and practical skills. Our training framework combines tiered and purpose-specific programs to build the necessary mindset and capabilities of our employees. The Group regularly reviews training programs based on organizational challenges and evolving needs. In fiscal 2025, we launched a new intellectual property training program aimed at further leveraging intellectual property in our business operations. We also strengthened training programs for overseas group companies in response to growing demand for global intellectual property skills across the Group. Through these initiatives, a total of 1,689 employees, including those at Group companies, participated in intellectual property training programs.
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. operates the Invention Reward System, which rewards employees for new inventions, and the Intellectual Property Awards, which recognize outstanding inventions and inventors. Both initiatives encourage the creation of technological assets through innovation. We continued to reward employees in fiscal 2025 for inventions that contributed to business according to their degree of contribution. We selected outstanding inventions and inventors from four growth areas to receive awards.