Industry Reports - More Updates

Japan

Shobayashi International Patent & Trademark Office

• 25 Jul

  2018

  Twitter retweet function causes moral rights infringement

  The Japanese IP High Court has ruled that retweeting an infringing tweet also constitutes copyright infringement and has ordered the disclosure of user information to a copyright owner. The decision may make users feel uneasy and prompt Twitter to review its retweet function. Full text

• 11 Jul

  2018

  Japan considers expanding design protection to cover wider range of designs

  A recent report has suggested amending the Design Law in order to address increasingly diverse methods of design. Among other things, Japan is considering expanding protection to projected and spatial designs, as well as relaxing the rules governing a series of designs for a given product. Full text

• 27 Jun

  2018

  <p>Business-related patents steadily increase</p>

  The Japan Patent Office has revealed the latest numbers of patent applications for business-related inventions, showing a significant increase since 2011. As new technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things gain traction, business-related patents are becoming increasingly attractive.

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• 11 Apr

  2018

  <p>Local government strongly supports patent licensing between large companies and SMEs</p>

  The so-called 'Kawasaki model' has inspired projects to revitalise local industries by successfully involving large companies in licensing unused patents to small and medium-sized enterprises. Such projects have attracted many major industry players and local government support.

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• 21 Feb

  2018

  <p>Patent licensing business model attracts attention</p>

  A business model for large companies to license unused patents to small and medium-sized enterprises, which then develop new products and generate new business, is attracting considerable attention in Japan.

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• 22 Nov

  2017

  <p>Supreme Court reverses taxation on tax haven subsidiary</p>

  The Japanese government is strengthening the oversight of overseas patent transfers. A recent Supreme Court ruling may help companies to judge whether anti-tax haven rules apply to their foreign IP management subsidiaries.

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• 18 Oct

  2017

  <p>Government requests guideline suggestions for standard-essential patent licence negotiation</p>

  The government recently held a meeting to discuss issues involving standard-essential patent licensing in accordance with the Intellectual Property Strategic Programme 2017, which was published in May 2017.

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• 11 Oct

  2017

  <p>Generic company planning strategic lawsuits with recently acquired US subsidiary</p>

  Sawai Pharmaceutical Co is planning to undertake lawsuits in the United States in cooperation with its newly acquired US subsidiary Upsher-Smith Laboratories Inc. If Sawai succeeds, other Japanese generic companies may adopt its approach.

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• 27 Sep

  2017

  <p>Border enforcement: China stays top in originating country of infringing imported goods into Japan</p>

  The Japanese government recently published statistics on the import suspension of IP-infringing goods into Japan during the first half of 2017. The statistics highlight an increase in design rights cases; regarding types of intellectual property, most cases are for import suspension due to trademark infringement.

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