Abstract: The application and transformation of intellectual property rights is an important link in the innovation-driven high-quality development, essentially building a cycle of “technological innovation-intellectual property protection-application promotion-intellectual property benefits-re-innovation.” Since 2003, Japan’s Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters has formulated an annual Intellectual Property Promotion Plan as an important guideline for implementing the national intellectual property strategy in Japan. This paper conducts research based on key nodes of Japan’s intellectual property strategy and promotion plans from 2002 to the present. In 2003, Japan’s intellectual property transformation and application system consisted of three aspects: strategic application supporting intellectual property, supporting international standardization activities, and improving the intellectual property application environment. In 2008, with the development of Japan’s intellectual property work, its transformation and application system evolved to strategically apply intellectual property, promote the application of common foundational technology, revitalise regions using intellectual property, and support small and medium-sized enterprises. In 2021, Japan improved the mechanism for promoting intellectual property transformation and application, linking enterprises, investors, financial institutions, and other stakeholders efficiently through intellectual property operation service companies. In 2022, Japan advanced the systematic operation of intellectual property from research and development to market through the construction and improvement of an intellectual property application promotion ecosystem. Based on research, the following recommendations are proposed: firstly, improve the policies and regulations for the transformation and application of intellectual property rights to enhance the strategic and agile layout of industrial innovation; secondly, leverage the key role of the market in the transformation and application of intellectual property, promoting deep integration of the “four chains”; thirdly, establish and improve the public service system for intellectual property rights to optimise the innovation ecosystem.

Key words: Intellectual Property; Conversion and Application; Application System; Industrial Innovation; Integration of “Four Chains”