MAFF publishes 24 plant variety applications under Plant Variety Protection Act

In the Official Gazette dated September 3, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced the acceptance and public notice of 24 applications for plant variety registration based on the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act (Act No. 83 of 1998). The notice was published as MAFF Notification No. 1366 under the name of Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Norikazu Suzuki, covering new varieties of sweet potatoes, lettuce, rice, strawberries, and other crops from domestic and international seed companies, research institutions, and local governments.

This public notice serves to announce the acceptance of applications for plant variety registration based on the provisions of Article 5, Paragraph 1 of the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act, in accordance with the provisions of Article 13, Paragraph 1 of the same Act. A list is provided detailing the type of agricultural or forestry plant to which the applied variety belongs, the name of the applied variety, the name and address of the applicant, and the application number and date. Application numbers range from No. 38291 to No. 38547, with application dates spanning from November 2025 to May 2026.

Major Overseas Seed Companies Apply for Sweet Potato and Lettuce

Among food crops, applications for sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa) are prominent. For sweet potato, Kaneko Seed Co., Ltd., headquartered in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, applied for the variety “HU3” (No. 38512) on April 17, 2026.

For lettuce, Syngenta Crop Protection AG, based in Basel, Switzerland, applied for “ICE CIRCLE II” (No. 38291, November 13, 2025), and Enza Zaden Beheer B.V. of Enkhuizen, Netherlands, applied for “Gylona” (No. 38334, December 24, 2025). Vilmorin-Mikado Corporation, located in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, filed two applications: “MKS-L571G” (No. 38395, February 3, 2026) and “MKS-L572G” (No. 38449, March 4, 2026).

New Rice and Strawberry Varieties by Government and Research Institutions

For rice (Oryza sativa), Suito Production Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd. of Toyoake City, Aichi Prefecture, applied for both “Fuga 1-1” (No. 38368) and “Fuga 3-1” (No. 38369) on January 23, 2026. Shimane Prefecture applied for “Tsubukirari” (No. 38507, April 3, 2026), and the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) applied for “Yawara Tsuyoshi” (No. 38547, May 11, 2026).

For strawberries (Fragaria), Mie Prefecture applied for “Mitsuha” (No. 38453, March 9, 2026), and Fukui Prefecture applied for both “Fukui ST1” (No. 38497) and “Fukui ST2” (No. 38498) on March 30, 2026. NARO also filed applications for strawberries. For tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), Fukui Prefecture applied for “Fukui TM1” (No. 38496, March 30, 2026).

Variety Registration for Floriculture and Horticultural Crops

In the field of flowers and gardening, Bejo Zaden B.V. of the Netherlands applied for the scallion (Allium fistulosum) “Protector” (No. 38299, November 21, 2025), and De Groot en Slot B.V. also applied for a scallion variety. For hydrangea (Hydrangea), Marie-France Doll of France applied for “Do22b30” (No. 38466) and “Do22b09” (No. 38467) on March 19, 2026.

Additionally, Masaomi Kamiya of Kariya City, Aichi Prefecture, applied for the anthurium “Himari” (No. 38527, April 27, 2026); NARO applied for the tea (Camellia sinensis) “Teoblaze” (No. 38482, March 26, 2026); Keisei Rose Gardening Co., Ltd. of Yachiyo City, Chiba Prefecture, applied for the rose “KEIFUHANASZK” (No. 38475, March 24, 2026); and Murakami Seed Co., Ltd. of Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture, applied for three varieties of stock (Matthiola incana)—“Chante Pink 2,” “Chante Salmon Pink,” and “Chante Cherry 2”—on May 8, 2026.

The applications announced this time will undergo examination for variety registration based on the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act; if registered, they will be protected as plant breeder’s rights. This information is crucial for the seed and seedling industry and agricultural producers to understand domestic and international breeding trends and the ownership of intellectual property.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Notice No. 1366 (Official Gazette dated September 3, 2026, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Norikazu Suzuki)—Public notice of receipt of applications for variety registration based on Article 5, Paragraph 1 of the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act.