Hermès beat Birkin Bag Imitator for Trademark Infringement
On December 17, 2020, the Japan IP High Court upheld awards for JPY2,900,000 for damages s…
iPad vs MI PAD
JPO sided with Apple Inc. in a dispute with a China-based consumer electronics company, Xi…
Katakana to prevent mispronunciation of brands
The unique writing system of the Japanese language consists of three different character s…
El Clasico Scores a Goal in Trademark Race
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) overturned the examiner’s refusal and decided to register th…
Securely Protecting Trademark Abbreviations
Japanese is prone to abbreviate trademarks. Occasionally, the abbreviation has no resembla…
Tips to Pass the JPO Trademark Registration Exam in 2 months
“JPO Status Report 2020” reveals more applicants make use of the “Accelerated …
Less than 1.5% Success Rate for Getting Color Mark Registration in Japan
Japan opened the gate to Non-Traditional trademark, namely, color, sound, position, motion…
Google’s Trademark Battle over Street View
The Opposition Board of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) sided with Google LLC and decided to…
Court Case: Parallel imports of trademarked goods in Japan
In a trademark dispute pertinent to parallel imports, on October 22, 2020, the Japan Tokyo…
LEGO Triumphs In ‘CATTYLEGO’ Trademark Battle at JPO
LEGO eventually scored a win over PETSWEET CO., Ltd., a Taiwanese company, in a trademark …
Bentley Victorious in Trademark Opposition over Winged B logo
The Opposition Board of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) decided in favor of Bentley Motors L…
Coffee Trademark Battle
Colombian Coffee Federation (FNC) failed a fight for invalidation of Japanese TM Registrat…
Starbucks defeated in trademark battle to defend the logo
On September 16, 2020, the Japan IP High Court dismissed an appeal by the American multina…
ZARA successful in invalidating the Zarbleu mark
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) sided with Industria de Diseño Textil, SA (INDITEX), owner o…
Japan IP High Court Ruling on Distinctiveness of Position Mark
On August 27, 2020, the Japan IP High Court ruled to affirm the Japan Patent Office (JPO) …
HENNESSY vs. INESSY
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) dismissed a trademark opposition claimed by SOCIETE JAS HENN…
Failed Opposition by ESPRIT against trademark registration “ESPRIT SELECTION”
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) dismissed a trademark opposition claimed by fashion company …
Fashion Designer Lost Trademark Dispute Over His Name
On July 29, 2020, the Japan IP High Court ruled to dismiss an appeal by Kabushiki Kaisha S…
Economic Forum Trademark Dispute
World Economic Forum, the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation commit…
POLO RALPH LAUREN vs. US POLO ASSN
The Appeal Board of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) affirmed Examiner’s refusal to register …
Is “You Tuber” a source indicator of Google?
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) recently dismissed Google LLC’s invalidation petition agains…
Is “MAHARAJA” a generic term in relation to Indian restaurants?
On July 8, 2020, the Japan IP High Court affirmed the JPO’s rejection in a trademark dispu…
ZARA Fails in Japanese Trademark Opposition Against “ZORA”
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) dismissed an opposition filed by Industria de Diseño Textil,…
Japan IP High Court Refuses Trademark Protection for Orange Color Mark
On 23 June 2020, the Japan IP High Court decided a case concerning a single color mark tha…
Trademark Applications Drop as Pandemic Pushes Japan into Recession
Japan’s economy has slipped into recession for the first time since 2015 in the last…
Japan IP High Court ruling: “I♡JAPAN” lacks distinctiveness as a trademark
On June 17, 2020, the Japan IP High Court affirmed the JPO’s rejection of the “I♡JAPAN” ma…
Japan IP High Court sided with Apple Inc. in “CORE ML” trademark dispute
On May 20, 2020, the Japan IP High Court denied the JPO decision and sided with Apple Inc….
Sweet, but long road to register “Ghana” on chocolates
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) allowed trademark registration of “Ghana” in connection with…
LEPUS vs. LEPS
In an appeal decision, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) overturned the examiner’s rejection a…
JPO decided “Antithesis” dissimilar to a mark consisting of it and other eight terms placed in 9 rows
In an administrative appeal disputing trademark similarity between TM registration no. 566…
TWITTER Unsuccessful in “TWEET” Trademark Opposition at JPO
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) dismissed a trademark opposition claimed by social media gia…
Never Register “BOND GIRL” Never Again
In a recent administrative decision, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) sided with Danjaq, LLC,…
Coronavirus Impact on Trademark Procedures in Japan
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) has announced the measures it has taken to help foreign user…
HERMES scores victory in trademark battle over KELLY
In a trademark opposition at the Japan Patent Office (JPO), French luxury brand HERMES ach…
OKLOK vs OKLOCK
In a trademark dispute, similarity between “OKLOK” and “OKLOCK”, the Appeal Board of the J…
JPO protects 3D shape of cherry design bottle for soy sauce dispenser
In a recent administrative decision, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) found 3D shape of cherr…
BRIDGESTONE Victorious in Trademark Dispute for B Mark Logo
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) upheld an invalidation petition by the world’s largest tire …
No Success for Monster Energy Claws
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) dismissed a trademark opposition claimed by MONSTER ENERGY C…
Fast Track Trademark Examination – Japan Patent Office
At present, applicant will wait at least 12 months from when trademark is filed until it b…
Adidas defeated in 3-stripe trademark dispute
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) held in an opposition filed by Adidas AG that trademark regi…
SWATCH Defeated in SWATCH vs iWATCH Trademark Dispute
The Trial Board of Japan Patent Office (JPO) dismissed an invalidation petition by Swiss w…
KUMAMON triumphs over bear mascot trademark battle
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) sided with Kumamon and declared invalidation of trademark re…
First ruling by IP High Court on New Type of Trademark in Japan
On February 14 2020, the Japan IP High Court ruled to uphold the Japan Patent Office (JPO)…
Trademark Battle – PUMA vs KUMA
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) decided to invalidate trademark registration no. 5661816 for…
JPO registers PUERTA DEL SOL as trademark
In a recent appeal decision, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) overturned examiner’s refusal a…
French fashion magazine “ELLE” Victorious in Trademark Opposition against “ELLEROSE”
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) upheld an opposition filed by HACHETTE FILIPACCHI PRESSE, so…
Japan IP High Court Ordered Unofficial Mario Kart To Pay Nintendo Over $450,000
On January 29, 2020, the Japan IP High Court ruled in favor of Nintendo over a case agains…
SCOTT Bikes Failed Trademark Opposition against “PRESCOTT”
The Japan Patent Office (JPO) dismissed a trademark opposition claimed by SCOTT USA Inc. a…
San Miguel defeat in trademark dispute over ‘AGUA MIGUEL’
In a recent trademark decision, the Opposition Board of Japan Patent Office (JPO) dismisse…
Empire Steak House loses to trademark its restaurant name in Japan IP High Court battle
On December 26, 2019, the Japan IP High Court ruled to uphold a rejection by the Japan Pat…
Google successful in a trademark opposition against “ANDROID HOSPITAL”
The Opposition Board of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) decided in favor of Google LLC to re…