Revision Overview June 1, 2008 – The Japanese Patent Office (JPO) published a notice proposing a number of changes in the Japanese patent and trademark law. The goal is to accelerate and optimize the strategic exploitation of Intellectual Property Rights…
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Japanese electronics manufacturer Matsushita,best known in the U.S. for its Panasonic brand, overtook Dutch rival Phillips Electronics to position itself at the top of the biggest Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) filer’s list, WIPO announced on February 21, 2008. Matsushita filed…
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On November 8, 2007, the Japanese Supreme Court upheld Canon’s assertion that the import and sale of Canon’s used ink cartridges by the third-party ink seller, Recycle Assist, did indeed infringe on Canon’s patent. This is the second time the…
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* You can see an updated article on this subject at “Q&A: Why and How to Make a Prior Art Disclosure (IDS) in a Japanese Patent Application.” The Japan Patent Office (JPO) has implemented an information disclosure system whereby applicants…
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Biotool and Bioinformatics are two emerging fields in the area of Bio-IT. They integrate Life Science with Computer Science and are predicted experience a tremendous surge in the future. As the fields grow, so too will the need to protect…
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On March 29, 2007, JPO announced the results of the number of registered and filed patent applications in Japan for 2006. The number of patents that were registered with the JPO grew by 15% from 2005 for a total of…
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April 18th is designated as “Invention Day” in Japan in and patent and invention-related events are taking place throughout the country. This day commemorates the promulgation of Japan’s Patent Monopoly Act which later became the Japanese Patent Law that we…
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A suit that demanded the Japanese consumer electronics maker pay $4.6 million to a former employer for a flat screen TV technology was settled in the Osaka District Court on April 1, 2007. Neither was willing to comment on the…
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This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia, a project of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia. Keisen Associates, a Japanese Patent Law Firm with offices in Tokyo, Osaka, and Philadelphia, actively…
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A revision in Japanese Trademark Law that passed the Diet in June 2006 will go into force in April 1, 2007. The new law will allow retail and wholesale service marks to be registered for the first time in Japan…
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