The Japanese government is set to propose legislation imposing stronger protections on the IP for Wagyu beef, one of the country’s most famed agricultural products.

Wagyu refers to beef produced from the four Japanese cattle breeds, including kobe.

According to The Japan Times, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest, and Fisheries will propose legislation to protect the genetic material of Japanese cattle as IP.

Officials hope the new law will allow the country to more effectively crackdown on the smuggling of genetic samples.

The bill, which will likely appear in the Diet (parliament) during the current term, would formally ban the smuggling of fertilised cattle eggs and semen outside of the country.

Japan’s beef industry has grown increasingly concerned at the proliferation of other countries’ wagyu breeders, which they fear could pose a threat to the indigenous industry.

Lawmakers will now consider whether to introduce a new law specifically for that purpose, which would classify the beef resulting from the cattle DNA as protectable IP.

Japanese farmers would be able to obtain injunctions against the trading of calves resulting from “improperly traded” cattle genes.

Source: World IP Review