Every year the Ministry of Finance of Japan (MOF) reports on confiscated intellectual property-infringing items imported into Japan (you can review our report on the results of 2017). Customs catches certainly are not comprehensive, but the results continue to concern….
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The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan reported on March 2 that the Cabinet of Prime Minister Suga had approved various proposals to amend intellectual property laws in Japan. The main aims of the revisions would be to…
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Japan’s Seto Inland Sea holds many islands, and Shodoshima, a larger one, boasts a variety of natural, agricultural, and cultural attractions. Its tourism website shows its efforts to attract visitors and gain a following. Shodojima found itself so popular that…
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Many Japanese people love to eat sea urchins. They also hate food that looks less-than-excellent. So when Kanagawa Prefecture (capital: Yokohama) faced a glut of starved sea urchins and reject-quality cabbages, what did it do? It filed for a trademark….
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Udon (ooh-dohn), thick white wheat noodles, are a popular food in Western Japan, particularly in Kagawa Prefecture. There, firm udon noodles of the “Sanuki” area attract aficionados to “pilgrimages” of the famous udon shops. This relatively rural part of Japan…
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Name value and prestige is extremely important for people in Japan. A recent trademark registration application is upsetting some in higher education now. Designated National University Corporation Osaka University (“Osaka University”), one of the highest-ranked and national public universities of…
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In 2006, Japan introduced a program for trademarks that were collective (compare with US collective marks) and regional indications (compare with European RIs), the chiiki dantai shōhyō seido (地域団体商標制度). Translated as the Regional Collective Trademark (RCT) System, this arrangement seeks…
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The Japan Patent Office published its annual Status Report in April. Here are a few of the things we noted. Patent Prosecution in Japan -Steady decline in domestic and international patent filings (under 345,000 in 2010 and nearly 308,000 in…
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In a recent article in a fashion magazine, results of an INTA (International Trademark in of Japanese members of Gen Z (born between 1995 and 2010) said that only 46% of Japanese reported having bought counterfeited goods before, compared with…
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As mentioned in an earlier article, the imperial period name may not be trademarked on its own but may only be registered in a trademark when combined with other elements in a way that can be distinctive. The new imperial…
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