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Fashion Designer in trademark fight over his name

2019年8月31日Article 4(1)(viii), Designer name, IP High Court, JPO, KEN KIKUCHIArticle 4(1)(viii), Composite mark, IP High Court, Refusal appeal, Trademark Examination GuidelineMasaki MIKAMI

On August 7, 2019, the Japan IP High Court ruled to dismiss an appeal by Ken Kikuchi, a Japanese jewelry designer, who contested a decision by the Japan Patent Office (JPO) to deny trademark registration for a composite...

PUMA’s Fight Against Logo Parody

2019年8月25日Article 4(1)(vii), Article 4(1)(xv), invalidation trial, JAPAN PATENT OFFICE, Japan Trademark Law, KUMA, Likelihood of confusion, MARKS IP LAW FIRM, PUMAArticle 4(1)(vii), Article 4(1)(xv), Article 46, Composite mark, Famous mark, Invalidation trial, Likelihood of confusion, Trademark Opposition, Violation of public order, 未分類Masaki MIKAMI

On August 1, 2019, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) decided to invalidate trademark registration no. 5861923 for composite mark consisting of a word “KUMA”, which means ‘bear’ in Japanese, and the bear device by...

SISLEY lose trademark opposition over SOIR DE LUNE

2019年8月18日Article 4(1)(xi), JAPAN PATENT OFFICE, Japan Trademark Law, LunaSoir, SISLEY, SOIR DE LUNEArticle 4(1)(xi), Composite mark, Similarity of mark, Trademark OppositionMasaki MIKAMI

In a recent trademark opposition, the Opposition Board of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) held a junior trademark registration no. 6041076 for word mark “LunaSoir” is dissimilar to a senior IR registration no. 845029...

Trademark Opposition: “VISA” vs. “V-ISA”

2019年8月11日Article 4(1)(xv), Japan Trademark Law, Likelihood of confusion, Trademark opposition, V-ISA, VISAArticle 4(1)(xv), Famous mark, Likelihood of confusion, Similarity of mark, Trademark OppositionMasaki MIKAMI

The Opposition Board of Japan Patent Office (JPO) dismissed an opposition filed by a global payments technology company, Visa International Service Association (VISA) against trademark registration no. 6077944 for a word...

Patagonia Victorious in Trademark Battle

2019年8月3日Article 4(1)(xi), Article 4(1)(xv), invalidation trial, JAPAN PATENT OFFICE, Japan Trademark Law, JPO, Likelihood of confusion, Patagonia, royalwestArticle 4(1)(xi), Article 4(1)(xv), Composite mark, Device mark, Famous mark, Invalidation trial, Likelihood of confusion, Similarity of goods, Similarity of markMasaki MIKAMI

The Trial Board of Japan Patent Office (JPO) recently upheld an invalidation petition by US outdoor apparel company, Patagonia Inc. against TM Reg. no. 6028801 for the “royalwest” mark in combination with figurative...

Trademark Opposition: “iPhone” versus “SAIPHONE”

2019年7月28日Apple Inc., Article 4(1)(xi), Article 4(1)(xv), iPhone, Japan Trademark Law, Likelihood of confusion, SAIPHONE, Trademark oppositionArticle 4(1)(xi), Article 4(1)(xv), Famous mark, Likelihood of confusion, Similarity of mark, Trademark OppositionMasaki MIKAMI

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) dismissed a trademark opposition claimed by the U.S. tech giant, Apple Inc. against trademark registration no. 6060316 for word mark “SAIPHONE” in class 9 and 18 by finding less...

JPY 71 Million Damages Award Against Design Copycat of BAO BAO ISSEY MIYAKE

2019年7月21日BAO BAO, Copyright Law, ISSEY MIYAKE, Tokyo District Court, Trade dress, Unfair Competition Prevention ActAcquired distinctiveness, Famous mark, Likelihood of confusion, Trade dress, Unfair Competition Prevention ActMasaki MIKAMI

In a civil legal battle involving design copycat of luxurious “BAO BAO” bags designed by ISSEY MIYAKE, a Japanese fashion designer, the Tokyo District Court sided with ISSEY MIYAKE and found infringement under the...

JPO Annual Report 2019

2019年7月13日Annual report, FA Pendency, JPO, Madrid Protocol, trademark applicationAnnual reportMasaki MIKAMI

The Japan Patent Office released its 2019 Annual Report (in Japanese only) on July 12, 2019, which contain informative figures and statistics relating to IP applications in Japan and on all other activities of the...

The Japan IP High Court Finds “EQ” Entitled to Trademark Registration Belonging to Mercedes Benz

2019年7月6日Acquired distinctiveness, Article 3(1)(v), Article 3(2), Daimler, EQ, IP High Court, Japan Trademark Law, Mercedes Benz, Secondary meaningAcquired distinctiveness, Article 3(1)(v), Inherent distinctiveness, IP High Court, Refusal appeal, Trademark Appeal, Trademark Examination GuidelineMasaki MIKAMI

On July 3, 2019, the Japan IP High Court reversed a decision of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) finding that the company Daimler AG was entitled to registration of “EQ” for Motor vehicles in class 12, even though the...

Nintendo loses trademark fight over “Switch” name in Japan

2019年6月30日Advisory Opinion, Article 28, Hantei, JPO, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, SWITCH, Trademark LawAdvisory Opinion, Article 28, Famous mark, HanteiMasaki MIKAMI

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) rendered advisory opinion in a trademark fight over “Switch” name unfavorable to Japanese video game giant Nintendo. [Case no. 2018-600008, Gazette issue date: May 31, 2019]

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