105. The representative of Japan said that, as a co-sponsor of the joint proposal (TN/IP/W/10/Rev.2), his delegation wished to stress that the object of their discussions was a multilateral system that was within the mandate of the Doha Declaration and the TRIPS Agreement itself. As his delegation had stated at the previous meeting of the Special Session, the joint proposal was the most appropriate solution to the mandate, notably because of its voluntary participation and the level of the burden placed on the participating Members.
106. On the Chair's second sub-question, it was Japan's understanding that it concerned the substantiation of genericness of a term in national proceedings for the protection of geographical indications and trademarks. Generally, in Japan in a procedure for trademark examination or GI protection, a person seeking GI protection was not initially required to substantiate that the geographical indication was not a generic term.
