JPO

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...

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...

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...

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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Trademark race for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games – Episode 2

2019年2月2日Article 3(1)(vi), Heart shape, JPO, OLYMPIC, Olympic symbolArticle 3(1)(vi), Device mark, Famous markMasaki MIKAMI

The Appeal Board of Japan Patent Office (JPO) refused Trademark Application No. 2017-11978 for a device mark consisting of five interlaced heart shape logos for goods of clothing and footwear in class 25 because of similarity to Olympic rings...

Is Polaroid Photo Frame trademarked?

2018年8月26日Article 3(1)(vi), Japan Trademark Law, JPO, PolaroidArticle 3(1)(vi), Device mark, Inherent distinctiveness, Refusal appeal, Trademark AppealMasaki MIKAMI

In a recent decision, the Appeal Board of Japan Patent Office (JPO) admitted trademark registration for the Polaroid Photo Frame design mark (see below) in relation to services of photo printing, digital on-demand printing, processing of...

JPO refused to register 3D shape of Mitsubishi Electric’s spiral escalator

2018年6月3日Acquired distinctiveness, Article 3(1)(iii), Article 3(2), JPO, Mitsubishi Electric, Secondary meaning, Spiral escalatorAcquired distinctiveness, Article 3(1)(iii), Article 3(2), Refusal appeal, Three dimensional mark, Trademark AppealMasaki MIKAMI

The Appeal Board of Japan Patent Office (JPO) disallowed registration of 3D shape of Mitsubishi Electric's spiral escalator due to lack of inherent distinctiveness and secondary meaning in relation to escalators, class 7. [Appeal case no....

Appeal Board reversed examiner’s rejection in the BOB trademark dispute

2018年2月17日Appeal Board, Article 4(1)(xi), BOB, device mark, JPO, trademark appealArticle 4(1)(xi), Device mark, Trademark AppealMasaki MIKAMI

In an administrative appeal disputing trademark similarity between TM registration no. 5719997 for word mark “BOB” and a junior application no. 2016-49394 for the “bob” device mark represented as below, the Appeal Board of the Japan...

Royal Copenhagen successful in removing FLORA DANICA on bags and apparels

2018年1月6日apparels, Article 4(1)(xv), ceramic products, Flora Danica, JPO, Likelihood of confusion, Royal Copenhagen, trademark examination guideline, Trademark oppositionArticle 4(1)(xv), Famous mark, Likelihood of confusion, Trademark OppositionMasaki MIKAMI

The Opposition Board of Japan Patent Office (JPO) decided to cancel trademark registration no. 5681437 for word mark “FLORA DANICA” covering various types of bags in class 18, apparels and shoes in class 25 as a consequence of opposition...

Starbucks Trademark Dispute Brewing Over Bull Pulu Tapioca Logo

2017年12月10日Bull Pulu, Japan Trademark Law, JPO, Starbucks, Trademark oppositionArticle 4(1)(vii), Article 4(1)(xi), Article 4(1)(xv), Trademark OppositionMasaki MIKAMI

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) has rejected an opposition from Starbucks to trademark registration no. 5897739 for the green-and white “BULL PULU TAPIOCA” concentric circle logo with a puppy white bull dog in the center.
[Opposition case no....

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