trademark appeal

POLO RALPH LAUREN vs. US POLO ASSN

2020年8月9日Article 4(1)(xi), Article 4(1)(xv), Famous mark, JAPAN PATENT OFFICE, Japan Trademark Law, Likelihood of confusion, POLO, Ralph Lauren, similarity of mark, trademark appeal, US POLO ASSNAbbreviation, Article 4(1)(xi), Article 4(1)(xv), Composite mark, Famous mark, Likelihood of confusion, Similarity of goods, Similarity of mark, Trademark AppealMasaki MIKAMI

The Appeal Board of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) affirmed Examiner’s refusal to register the wordmark “U.S. POLO ASSN.” due to similarity to and a likelihood of confusion with earlier registered mark “POLO”...

Japan IP High Court ruling: “I♡JAPAN” lacks distinctiveness as a trademark

2020年6月28日Article 3(1)(vi), I love Japan, inherent distinctiveness, IP High Court, JAPAN PATENT OFFICE, Japan Trademark Law, JPO, lack of distinctiveness, trademark appeal, trademark applicationAbbreviation, Article 3(1)(vi), Composite mark, compound mark, Device mark, Inherent distinctiveness, IP High Court, Refusal appeal, Trademark AppealMasaki MIKAMI

On June 17, 2020, the Japan IP High Court affirmed the JPO’s rejection of the “I♡JAPAN” mark in relation to various goods of class 14,16,18 and 24 due to a lack of distinctiveness. [Judicial case no. Reiwa...

Japan IP High Court sided with Apple Inc. in “CORE ML” trademark dispute

2020年6月20日Apple Inc., Article 4(1)(xi), Composite mark, CORE MIL, IP High Court, JAPAN PATENT OFFICE, Japan Trademark Law, Seiko, similarity of mark, Supreme Court, trademark appealAbbreviation, Article 4(1)(xi), Composite mark, compound mark, Inherent distinctiveness, IP High Court, Refusal appeal, Similarity of mark, Trademark AppealMasaki MIKAMI

On May 20, 2020, the Japan IP High Court denied the JPO decision and sided with Apple Inc. by finding the “CORE ML” mark is dissimilar to senior trademark registration no. 5611369 for word mark “CORE” in...

Sweet, but long road to register “Ghana” on chocolates

2020年6月13日Acquired distinctiveness, Article 3(1)(iii), Article 4(1)(xvi), Chocolate, Ghana, inherent distinctiveness, JAPAN PATENT OFFICE, Japan Trademark Law, Lotte, trademark appealAcquired distinctiveness, Article 3(1)(iii), Article 3(2), Article 4(1)(xvi), Famous mark, Geographical indication, Inherent distinctiveness, Trademark Appeal, Trademark Examination GuidelineMasaki MIKAMI

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) allowed trademark registration of “Ghana” in connection with chocolates of class 30 by finding acquired distinctiveness as a source indicator of Lotte Co., Ltd., a Korea-based...

JPO decided “Antithesis” dissimilar to a mark consisting of it and other eight terms placed in 9 rows

2020年5月31日antithesis, Article 4(1)(xi), JAPAN PATENT OFFICE, Japan Trademark Law, similarity of mark, trademark appealArticle 4(1)(xi), Composite mark, compound mark, Refusal appeal, Similarity of mark, Trademark AppealMasaki MIKAMI

In an administrative appeal disputing trademark similarity between TM registration no. 5661343 for word mark “Antithesis” with its transliteration in Japanese katakana and junior application no. 2017-101730 for a mark...

OKLOK vs OKLOCK

2020年4月25日Article 4(1)(vi), Dissimilarity of mark, JAPAN PATENT OFFICE, Japan Trademark Law, OKLOCK, OKLOK, similarity of mark, trademark appeal, trademark applicationArticle 4(1)(xi), Refusal appeal, Similarity of goods, Similarity of mark, Trademark AppealMasaki MIKAMI

In a trademark dispute, similarity between “OKLOK” and “OKLOCK”, the Appeal Board of the Japan Patent Office found both marks dissimilar and reversed examiner’s rejection.[Appeal case no. 2019-16781, Gazette...

JPO protects 3D shape of cherry design bottle for soy sauce dispenser

2020年4月18日3D mark, Article 3(1)(iii), dispenser, inherent distinctiveness, JAPAN PATENT OFFICE, Japan Trademark Law, RISU, Secondary meaning, Soy sauce, three dimensional mark, trademark appealArticle 3(1)(iii), Inherent distinctiveness, Three dimensional mark, Trade dress, Trademark AppealMasaki MIKAMI

In a recent administrative decision, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) found 3D shape of cherry design bottle is inherently distinctive in relation to soy sauce dispensers in class 21 even without secondary meaning.[Appeal...

Trademark dispute over Shogun Emblem of the Samurai Era

2019年6月8日Article 4(1)(vi), Article 4(1)(vii), Article 4(1)(xv), edo shogunate, family crest, Japan Trademark Law, samurai, shogun, shogun emblem, Tokugawa, tokugawa crest, tokugawa museum, tokugawa shogunate, trademark appeal, trefoil awoiArticle 4(1)(vi), Article 4(1)(vii), Article 4(1)(xv), Composite mark, Device mark, Famous mark, Geographical indication, Likelihood of confusion, Similarity of mark, Trademark AppealMasaki MIKAMI

In a recent appeal trial over trademark dispute, the Trademark Appeal Board within the Japan Patent Office (JPO) overturned the Examiner’s determination and held that a combination mark with Tokugawa crest image and literal elements written in...

JPO decision: TESLA is dissimilarly pronounced to Tesla

2019年4月6日Article 4(1)(xi), Japan Trademark Law, TESLA, trademark appealArticle 4(1)(xi), Refusal appeal, Similarity of goods, Similarity of mark, Trademark AppealMasaki MIKAMI

In a recent appeal decision over trademark dispute, the Appeal Board of Japan Patent Office (JPO) overturned the Examiner’s refusal and held the stylized TESLA mark is dissimilarly pronounced to a senior trademark registration for the...

HISAMITSU unsuccessful in registering a shape of “Salonpas”

2019年3月31日Article 3(1)(iii), Hisamitsu, Japan Trademark Law, Salonpas, trademark appealArticle 3(1)(iii), Device mark, Inherent distinctiveness, Trademark AppealMasaki MIKAMI

The Appeal Board of Japan Patent Office (JPO) disallowed registration of a shape of famous Japanese pain relief patches in the name of “Salonpas” manufactured by Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co., Inc. due to lack of inherent distinctiveness in...

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