Panasonic Holdings Corporation

The Panasonic Group (the “Group”) strives to appropriately acquire, protect, and utilize intellectual property in technologies, know-how, designs, brands, and other achievements obtained through its research and development (R&D) and other business activities.

By implementing the Group’s intellectual property in various ways, including through commercialization efforts within the Group and co-creation with other companies, while also continuing to respect the intellectual property of third parties in the Group’s business activities, the Group aims to simultaneously achieve business growth and contribute to solving social issues.

Policy

Based on the spirit and policy of “IP (intellectual property) comes before business” since its founding, the Group has been promoting intellectual property activities aimed at ensuring the competitive advantage and safety of its business both now and in the future and helping to address ongoing social issues, including implementing IP-driven business strategies; acquiring, protecting, and utilizing global intellectual property; and preventing and resolving disputes related to intellectual property.

To consistently achieve these goals, the Group has established its “Basic Rules for Intellectual Property Matters” that apply to the entire Group. We are continually working to appropriately pursue our intellectual property activities and establish a foundation for our ongoing initiatives. In addition, we continue to respect the intellectual property of our suppliers, business partners, and other third parties and do our best not to infringe upon them. This is also stipulated in the “Panasonic Group Code of Ethics & Compliance,” and we provide regular education to ensure that all employees comply with this Code.

Responsible Executive and Framework

The Group Chief Technology Officer is the executive officer responsible for intellectual property for the Group (as of August 2026).

The Corporate Intellectual Property Division at the Group’s holding company, Panasonic Holdings Corporation (PHD), is in charge of establishing and promoting the Group’s intellectual property strategies. We have also established an intellectual property department within each operating company, and each intellectual property department establishes and promotes the intellectual property strategy of each operating company. PHD’s Corporate Intellectual Property Division and the intellectual property department of each operating company work together to promote intellectual property strategies, thereby creating group synergy.

In addition, the Intellectual Property Department at Panasonic Operational Excellence Corporation ("PEX"), which has highly specialized personnel, and Panasonic IP Management Corporation ("PIPM"), a subsidiary of PEX, are advancing a wide range of intellectual property operations on a global basis.

PIPM was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of PEX to integrate and commercialize the Group's intellectual property operations and is advancing such operations by utilizing the "Trusts among Persons Belonging to Same Group of Companies" approach as stipulated in Article 51 of the Trust Business Act.

Group Intellectual Property Strategy

▪Intellectual Property Strategy Framework

The Group has formulated an Intellectual Property Strategy Framework through discussions with its Board of Directors (see the figure below). This framework shows our intellectual property (IP) strategies and activities conducted from the perspectives of "customers," "competitors," and "society" based on our materiality. We anticipate that these strategies and activities will contribute to "business advantages" and "business safety" as well as "social implementation through co-creation with intellectual property as a starting point” and thereby contribute to solving social issues and ultimately lead to the vision the Group seeks to achieve.

These strategies and activities are embodied in the framework based on each aspect of intellectual property: "rights," "assets," and "information."

For example, from a "customer" perspective, the Group’s strategies and activities such as planning and implementation of "co-creation and open & closed strategies" and "IP portfolio (PF) building of core technologies", will lead to output in the form of "improvements in customer value."

From the "competitors" perspective, the Group’s strategies and activities such as "dispute resolution", "strict respect for third-party IP", and "lean transformation of our IP portfolio (e.g., abandoning unnecessary IP)" will lead to output in the form of "improvements in cost performance."

From the "social" perspective, the Group’s strategies and activities such as "Co-creation with intellectual property as a starting point" will lead to outputs in the form of "social implementation through co-creation" (e.g., commercialization of environmental technologies through co-creation with other companies).

These outputs will lead to our goal of realizing "an ideal society with affluence both in matter and mind."

PHD has introduced "Group-common Indicators of Intellectual Property" shared across the Group to monitor each IP strategy and activity indicated in the framework. These indicators include, for example, an utilization indicator that illustrates the size of IP assets (i.e., intangible assets) and how they are being used (their degree of circulation). The Group uses these indicators to monitor the IP strategies and activities of each operating company and maximize the value of our intangible assets.

Diagram illustrating the Intellectual Property Strategy Framework. Along the left side, the framework is divided from bottom to top into four sections: Perspectives, Intellectual Property Strategies and Activities, Output, and Outcomes. In the Perspectives section, three upward arrows are arranged from left to right: Protection and Utilization of Panasonic’s IP, Respect for Third Party's IP, and Environment/Well-being. Above them are Customers, Competitors, and Society, respectively. The Intellectual Property Strategies and Activities area above Customers is divided into left and right sections. On the left, "IP portfolio (PF) building of core technologies" is positioned in the lower row and "Planning and implementation of co-creation and open & close strategies" in the upper row. "IP portfolio (PF) building for core technologies" is associated with assets and rights, while "Planning and implementation of co-creation and open & close strategies is associated with assets, rights, and information. On the right, "IP PF building for brand and ant-counterfeiting measures" is shown and is associated with assets and rights. In the output section above "Planning and implementation of co-creation and open & close strategies", "Business Model Advantages" and "Core Technology Advantages" are arranged side by side. Above "IP PF building for brand and anti-counterfeiting measures" is "Brand Value Enhancement". Above these is an upward arrow labeled "Business Advantages", and above that is "Improved Customer Value". The Intellectual Property Strategies and Activities area above Competitors is also divided into left and right sections. On the left, "Strictly respect for third-party IP" is positioned in the lower row and "creation and utilization of usable IP and dispute resolution" in the upper row. "Strictly respect for third-party IP" is associated with rights and information, while "Creation and utilization of usable IP and dispute resolution" is associated with rights and assets. On the right, "Lean transformation of IP PF" is shown and is associated with rights and assets. In the Output section above "Creation and utilization of usable IP and dispute resolution", "Improved IP Balance" and "Reduce Infringement Risk" are arranged side by side. Above"Lean transformation of IP PF" is "Improve IP Cost Efficiency". Above these is an upward arrow labeled "Business Safety", and above that is "Improve Cost Performance". In the "Intellectual Property Strategies and Activities" area above "Society", "Co-creation with intellectual property as a starting point" is shown and is associated with information and assets. Above it, in the Output section, is "Social implementation through co-creation". Above "Improved Customer Value", "Improved Cost Performance", and "Social implementation through co-creation" is a horizontal band spanning all three areas labeled "Contributie to solving social issues". Above this, in the Outcomes section, are “Well-being in society and people’s lives” and “Solving global environmental issues.” Above them are Brand Slogan “Live Your Best” and IP Division Purpose "Circulating intangible properties, transforming them into value, and making the world happier". At the top of the framework is "Ideal society with affluence both in matter and mind".

▪Mechanisms for Consolidating Patents and Other Assets to Create Group Synergies

The Group has set up a mechanism to consolidate patents and other forms of industrial property to PHD so that they can be utilized as assets of the entire Group simultaneously and multilaterally. PHD and its subsidiary, PIPM utilize (e.g. license) the patents, etc. of the entire Group. These include patents related to common foundational technology and patents with legal title consolidated from our Group companies. The Group companies in Japan that are subject to this mechanism manage the patents, etc. they have created or obtained (i.e., they retain the “Managerial ID” (Managerial code) as the identification of responsibility for managing such patents, etc.), and such Group companies bear the costs and receive the revenues from them, even after their legal title has been consolidated in PHD. Each Group company can then use the patents, etc. of the entire Group, and externally utilize those for which it holds the Managerial ID. The Group promotes both internal and external co-creation, etc., using this mechanism (see figure below).

Diagram illustrating the Mechanism of Patent Consolidation to Create Group Synergies. At the top center is “PHD/PIPM.” Directly below it are “Managerial ID” on the left and “Legal title” on the right. In a callout on the upper left connected to “Managerial ID,” the text reads “Patent Portfolio for common foundational technology,” with “Environment-related patents” and “Standard-essential patents, etc.” listed beneath it. A horizontal bracket spans beneath both “Managerial ID” and “Legal title.” A downward solid arrow extends from the “Managerial ID” side of the bracket and connects to “Group Company” in the lower center. Another “Managerial ID” is positioned below “Legal title” and above “Group Company.” From this “Managerial ID,” an upward solid arrow extends across the bracket and points to “Legal title.” In the lower-left callout connected to “Group Company,” the text reads: “Use the patents of the entire Group, including the patents managed by the Group company, simultaneously and multilaterally.” On the right side is a vertically oriented box labeled “Cocreation partner/competitor, etc.” A right-pointing arrow extends from “PHD/PIPM” with the label “Utilize the patents of the entire Group,” and another right-pointing arrow extends from “Group Company” with the label “Utilize the patents managed by the Group company.” Both arrows connect to “Cocreation partner/competitor, etc.”

Intellectual Property Acquisition, Protection, and Respect

▪Acquiring Intellectual Property Rights and Reward System

The Group has been building up a global portfolio of intellectual property in line with our IP strategy, which in turn is based on our business strategies and research and development (R&D) strategies. The following table shows the fiscal 2026’s R&D expenses; the number of new applications for patents, utility models, or design rights made by the Group in fiscal 2026; and the number of patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks held by the Group as of March 2026.

R&D expenses in fiscal 2026426,400 million JPY (the ratio of R&D expenses to sales: 5.3%)
Number of applications in fiscal 2026Number of applications for patents, utility models, and designs:Total roughly 15,000 (including roughly 9,000 outside Japan)
Number of rights held as of March 2026Number of patents, utility models, and designs held: Total roughly: 89,000 (including roughly 50,000 outside Japan)
Number of trademarks held: Total roughly 14,000 (including roughly 11,000 outside Japan)

The Group also has a reward system for inventors designed to increase their motivation and help invigorate their inventions and creative endeavors, and we operate this system in a just and fair manner based on the laws and regulations of each country. For example, in Japan, the standard for reward is decided through agreements with employees and shared with them, and we also have a system in place to solicit feedback from inventors about the reward system.

▪Anti-Counterfeiting Activities

Counterfeiting activities that use important corporate assets such as brands and other intellectual property without permission and that piggyback on the brand value built up by the rights holders not only cause quality problems (e.g., accidents and injuries) for customers, but also give rise to the following problems for society as a whole and can be an obstacle to the creation of a healthy society:

  • Economic losses: decreasing tax revenues, less business incentives to develop new products and innovation.
  • Security issues: potential sources of funds for criminal/ terrorist organizations, increasing threats to national security.
  • Environmental problems: disposal of seized counterfeit products

Thus, the Group believes that aiming to eliminate counterfeiting activities should be considered a Corporate Social Responsibility. Our anti-counterfeiting policies aim to solve the social issues caused by counterfeiting activities and protect our customers and intellectual property, including our brands. In 2019, measures against counterfeit products were added to the Japanese government’s SDGs Action Plan, thanks in part to advocacy from the Group. At present, we are working in partnership with the Japanese government, the governments of other countries, and other companies at the International Intellectual Property Protection Forum (IIPPF), an industry organization that aims to resolve the counterfeiting issue, to take action based on the idea that eliminating counterfeit products will contribute to achieving SDGs. Within IIPPF, the Group has been taking a leading role in industry initiatives aimed at building a sustainable society after establishing an awareness-raising working group in 2021. In March 2026, we also became the chair of the IIPPF and will continue to advance industry leading initiatives to eliminate counterfeiting activities.

Recent trends show a rapid increase in the number of counterfeiting cases online, in addition to those products sold in physical retail markets. Online sales channels make selling counterfeit products easier globally than conventional retail methods— as the transactions are executed easily and carried out before the buyer ever sees the actual product, meaning that there is an increasing risk that consumers could purchase counterfeit products by mistake. The Group believes that it is more critical than ever that rights holders work together with consumers to eliminate counterfeit products from the market. To this end, by working with industry partners and sharing information, we will advance efforts across society to combat counterfeiting activities and contribute to building a better society. In recent years, as social media use has expanded, fraudulent advertisements on social media have increasingly caused harm, and we are further strengthening coordinated efforts across industries to address this challenge.

Example) https://twitter.com/PanasonicBrand/status/1759463303867466126 (Japanese only)

▪Respect for Intellectual Property of Third Parties

If the Panasonic Group infringes on a third party’s intellectual property, it may cause losses to that third party and negatively affect the Group’s customers—including both direct and indirect customers—due to changes in product or service specifications or the suspension of supply.

The Group conducts its business activities while striving to respect third-party intellectual property. Our Groupwide internal rules stipulate how to respond when a third party notifies us of a suspected intellectual property infringement, as well as how to estimate any losses that may arise from such infringement. In addition, each operating company’s internal rules define procedures for conducting investigations to prevent infringement of third-party intellectual property, reporting identified risks, and implementing other related processes.

Co-creation & External Partnerships

▪Contributions to Building Co-creation Relationships

The Group aims to contribute to solving social issues in its business activities. In addition to facing social issues head-on, contributing to their resolution, and growing our business as a result, we are also promoting a new intellectual property strategy by building a system that connects and cooperates among a wide range of people, goods, and things, and building cocreation relationships based on intangible assets to solve social issues that are difficult for individual companies to address alone.

Specifically, in September 2023, we opened the Group’s "Technology Index" for external use. The Technology Index is a system that enables users to easily find and connect with the technology they need by indexing the Group's intellectual property information in easy-to-understand, sensible language that describes the technology's usage scenarios and purposes. Taking the Technology Index as a starting point, we will contribute to accelerating the resolution of social issues, including the resolution of global environmental problems, by circulating intangible assets throughout society.

Additionally, in October 2024, we launched IP Junction, a co-creation and innovation hub for intangible assets. IP Junction is a platform for distributing and matching information that assists in co-creation with our partners who have diverse technologies and ideas so that we can expand the use of shared knowledge accumulated through the Technology Index. We collect, index, and link data on intangible assets within and outside the Group to facilitate the sharing of intangible assets and accelerate the creation of shared knowledge.

▪Participation in International Initiatives

WIPO GREEN, established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) supports global-scale approaches against climate change through connecting key stakeholders when it comes to environmentally-conscious innovations using its database and networks. The Group agrees with this mission and has registered environmentally-conscious underwater plasma technologies, artificial photosynthesis technologies, and gas sensor technologies.

In-House Education and External Awareness-Raising Activities

The Group conducts various training and education programs for employees to ensure they thoroughly implement the Group’s policy on intellectual property. In addition to providing education to employees on respecting third-party intellectual property, we offer e-Learning programs on copyright for employees across the Group, in light of the increasing importance of software in our business operations and the rapid spread of generative AI. In addition, each operating company provides intellectual property training and education tailored to its specific business needs. For employees engaged in intellectual property operations, we offer specialized training to enhance their IP expertise.

We also help raise awareness of intellectual property issues outside the Group. One such example is dispatching lecturers to HR development trainings for overseas governmental authorities such as patent office staff upon request by the Japan Patent Office and other organizations. We also give our unique lectures on intellectual property at Japanese junior high and high schools. In addition, to address the issues caused by counterfeiting activities, we produce consumer awareness videos and introduce them on our website.

In fiscal 2026, we participated in the “International Exhibition for Young Inventors” held at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. Under the theme of “A Healthy Society Through Anti-Counterfeiting Activities,” we promoted awareness of the importance of respecting the rights of others. We also presented the Panasonic Innovation Award to a student from Taiwan in recognition of an outstanding invention. Going forward, we will continue to advance our intellectual property initiatives while supporting the development of creativity and encouraging inventions among children who will shape the next generation.

Whistleblowing Channel (Internal and External)

All Group employees, business partners, and their employees can seek consultation and report any intellectual property-related risks or problems they see or hear about through the “Global Hotline EARS” that the Group has set up. For more details, see the “Whistleblowing System” in the “Ethics and Compliance” chapter.

Awards and Recognition

The Group was awarded the “Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award (Design Management Companies)” at the 2026 Intellectual Property Achievement Awards (Awards for a Good-Standing Company Utilizing the Intellectual Property Rights System), organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Japan Patent Office. This award recognizes companies that enhance corporate value through the effective use of intellectual property and the promotion of design-oriented management, and it marks the Group’s second receipt of the Intellectual Property Achievement Award in 18 years.

In addition, at the 2025 Kinki Regional Invention Awards organized by the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation, the Group was awarded the “Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award (Implementation Achievement Award).” This award recognizes engineers and R&D personnel who have created outstanding inventions, devices, or designs, as well as companies that have contributed to their implementation.

The Group has also been recognized as a Clarivate Top 100 Global Innovator 2026 chosen by London-based Clarivate. The award that the Group received is given to companies that are leaders in global business because they are successful in protecting and commercializing their unique inventions and ideas through intellectual property rights. The Group has been on this list since its inception, 2025 being our 15th consecutive year.