Litigation and Negotiation

“GODZILLA”(r) Chomps Up Demolition Cutter Trademark “GUZZILLA” in Japan IP High Court

Japan’s famous monster “Godzilla,” that is, its trademark, rampages again. On July 19, 2023, Japan’s IP High Court judged in favor of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) Invalidation of Registration for another trademark, “GUZZILLA.” What’s GUZZILLA? GUZZILLA is the name…
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DWANGO Vs. FC2 Decision by IP High Court, Japan, Means Protection for Patented Programs “Imported” from Foreign Servers

Japan’s IP High Court (IPHC) is setting a trend to deny patented programs even if sent from servers outside of Japan, with its May 26, 2023 case DWANGO v. FC2. The IPHC rejects immunity to FC2 simply on grounds that…
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IP and International Relations: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Keeps Fighting Korean Orders to Sell Its IP

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Korean litigants keep wrestling over how to put to rest the accounting for past colonial wrongs done to forced laborers. The collateral: intellectual property. As reported last year, the regional Daejeon Court tried to wrest reparations…
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