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Japan

Serial trademark filer Ikuhiro Ueda speaks out: “I am the best troll”

Yesterday we reported on notorious trademark filer Ikuhiro Ueda, who has personally filed over 100,000 trademark applications. Today, in an exclusive interview with WTR, Ueda claims his filings are part of an ambitious plan to overhaul the global IP system.

Serial trademark filer Ikuhiro Ueda speaks out: “I am the best troll”
11 Apr 2019

Video game industry may face digital overhaul, but Nintendo can always call upon Mario

Big Tech has dipped its toes into the industry, posing a risk to traditional manufacturers. We take a deep dive into one of the market’s biggest players, Nintendo, to understand how its brands have helped the company sustain its success.

11 Apr 2019

The Ueda Files: the world’s most prolific trademark filer and a conundrum for brands

An incredibly prolific trademark filer in Japan, Ikuhiro Ueda, is causing headaches for brands, according to experts. In an exclusive investigation from WTR, we reveal the staggering scope of this portfolio-building exercise.

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1 Feb 2019

Asahi’s acquisition of Fuller’s shows value of brands in overseas expansion

This Japanese company's purchase is only one of a number of deals in the industry, with key players bolstering their premium beer portfolios. Read more

25 Jan 2019

JPO apologises for data leak, Brunei joins TMview, and Absolut accused of trademark bullying: news digest

In our latest round-up, we look at the Japan Patent Office apologising after an accidental data leak, a sauce company suing Wendy’s, counterfeit fans reacting to Alibaba’s latest Taobao claims, and more. Read more

23 Jan 2019

You get what you pay for? Variances in law firm hourly rates revealed

New research has revealed the variance in the hourly rates charged by law firm practitioners for trademark-related work in key jurisdictions, with the hourly rate for a partner ranging from $30 to $880. Read more

4 Jan 2019

Trolls on the rise, Brexit disruption and China’s domination: data trends of 2018

Having just rung in the new year, it is the perfect time to look at the trends which have characterised the trademark landscape in 2018, and discuss what is to come in 2019. Read more

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Anti-counterfeiting

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11 Apr 2018

Customs concerns: counsel identify significant room for improvement in India, Iran and Turkey

Trademark counsel have had their say on the efficiency of customs authorities across the globe – with some of the largest importers of counterfeit goods giving cause for continued concern. Read more

24 Oct 2017

Apple and Samsung back in court, trademark preparation for Singles Day, and an NBA legend’s counterfeit haul: news round-up

In the latest round-up, we look at the next step in a long-running IP feud between Apple and Samsung, a call for plain packaging in United Arab Emirates, and much more. Read more

Brand management

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29 Mar 2017

Trademark procedures and strategies: Japan

The Trademark Law and its related regulations govern the registration and protection of trademarks in Japan. The Examination Guidelines for Trademarks also play an important role in the examination of trademark applications at the Japan Patent Office (JPO). Revisions to the examination guidelines are underway and additional revisions (eg, guidelines on judging the similarities between trademarks) are currently under discussion. Read more

13 Sep 2016

Pokémon GO illustrates the power of AR: what it means for trademark counsel

While still in its nascent stages, the success of Pokémon GO has provided a glimpse into the potential of augmented reality (AR) – and if the technology goes truly mainstream, there will be a direct impact on the work of trademark counsel. A new study from Perkins Coie and virtual reality proponent Upload takes a look at industry expectations for AR and virtual reality. Read more

2 Sep 2016

New CEO seeks to rein in trademark licensing as part of Sharp turnaround plan

Foxconn’s $3.5 billion acquisition of a majority stake in Sharp, which was completed last month, marked what is presumably the largest foreign takeover of a Japanese company yet. And with the Taiwanese outfit’s installation of one of its own team as CEO, Sharp’s brand strategy appears to be heading in a new direction. Read more

8 Jun 2016

Filings expected to plummet as Japanese companies streamline portfolios and focus on utilisation of existing rights

The Japan Patent Office recently published an overview of its 2015 IP activity survey findings. Highlighting trends in trademark strategy among Japanese organisations, the survey suggests that brand owners in the country are becoming increasingly selective when it comes to filing applications and are seeking ways to extract added value from their portfolios. Such a trend could have a direct impact on law firm revenues and strategies. Read more

Enforcement and litigation

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25 Jan 2019

JPO apologises for data leak, Brunei joins TMview, and Absolut accused of trademark bullying: news digest

In our latest round-up, we look at the Japan Patent Office apologising after an accidental data leak, a sauce company suing Wendy’s, counterfeit fans reacting to Alibaba’s latest Taobao claims, and more. Read more

30 Nov 2018

Finnish IP office launches chatbot, Lazada signs MOU and JPO fakes campaign: news round-up

In our latest round-up, we look at luxury brands avoiding Black Friday discounts, Edible Arrangements filing a trademark lawsuit, a huge counterfeit haul in Paraguay, and much more. Read more

2 Nov 2018

Azerbaijan pledges IP reforms, plain packaging in Singapore, and Ecuador plans mediation center: news round-up

In our latest round-up, we look at the JPO offering a souvenir certificate for long-time rights holders, fashion brands stepping up their tech game, a new director at the Tunisian IP Office, and much more. Read more

18 Oct 2018

“Leveraging the law is not the whole solution”: interview with Philip Morris’ Herman Cheung

In an exclusive interview, the tobacco giant's Manager of Illicit Trade Prevention talks to WTR about the importance of anti-counterfeiting efforts as the company transitions to a smoke-free future. Read more

Goverment/policy

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3 Jun 2018

Japan’s filing trends are distorted by a single applicant, while brands plummet in value: exclusive data analysis

In this week’s country data report, we highlight Japan’s unusual distribution of applications by trademark class, analyse the volatile values of the leading Japanese brands, and much more. Read more

IP offices

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4 Dec 2018

AI examinations and a new manual: the JPO end of year review

It has been another busy year for the trademark division at the Japan Patent Office, especially in the development of examinations. Read more

6 Apr 2018

Trademark offices prepare for the future as users give poor performance grades

The performance levels of the Chinese, Brazilian and Indian trademark offices have clear room for improvement but change could be afoot. Read more

3 Oct 2017

MLB’s top TTAB user, Thai IP Office gets an upgrade and Russia to introduce “Made in Prison” label: news round-up

In this news round-up, we look at how India may remove the controversial Goods and Services Tax exemption for unbranded food products and how the Chicago Cubs are tackling an increase in counterfeiting. Read more

20 Apr 2017

Japanese trademark pendency times rise with registrations; interest in non-traditional marks cools

While the Japan Patent Office registered more trademarks last year than it has in almost a decade, new data indicates that it is also taking more time than ever before to decide whether applications should be granted or refused. Read more

Portfolio management

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14 Dec 2017

International applications at an all-time high as Asia and Africa experience sharp rise in trademark filings

WIPO has released its latest report into global IP activity, revealing a significant rise in  filing activity. Most of the growth can be attributed to China’s continued domination. Read more

20 Jun 2017

Can you register a parody trademark?

The registrant in a recent case registered the trademark FRANCK MIURA in Japanese katakana and Chinese characters with regard to its lookalikes of Franck Muller's well-known luxury watches. However, the design similarities were not at issue in this case. Rather, the case centred on the similarity of, and the likelihood of confusion between, the trademark and three prior FRANCK MULLER marks. Read more

7 Apr 2017

Trademark registrations up, designs down as the Japan Patent Office reveals the top registrants for 2016

The Japan Patent Office received its highest number of trademark applications in 10 years during 2016, according to the agency’s latest annual report. Of the top 10 registrants last year, nine were Japanese entities (the exception being South Korea’s LG Electronics). Read more

29 Mar 2017

Trademark procedures and strategies: Japan

The Trademark Law and its related regulations govern the registration and protection of trademarks in Japan. The Examination Guidelines for Trademarks also play an important role in the examination of trademark applications at the Japan Patent Office (JPO). Revisions to the examination guidelines are underway and additional revisions (eg, guidelines on judging the similarities between trademarks) are currently under discussion. Read more

Trademark law

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2 Nov 2018

Azerbaijan pledges IP reforms, plain packaging in Singapore, and Ecuador plans mediation center: news round-up

In our latest round-up, we look at the JPO offering a souvenir certificate for long-time rights holders, fashion brands stepping up their tech game, a new director at the Tunisian IP Office, and much more. Read more

12 Sep 2018

Trademark procedures and strategies: Japan

 The Examination Guidelines for Trademarks also play an important role in the examination of trademark applications at the Japan Patent Office (JPO). The most recent revisions to the examination guidelines took place in April 2017, which include clarifying the criteria for judging the similarities between trademarks. Read more

19 Jul 2018

Well-known marks: multijurisdictional approaches to fame in Asia

Different approaches must be used to secure protection for well-known marks in different countries. This article considers the best route in key Asian jurisdictions. Read more

5 Jul 2018

Federer logo clash with Nike highlights contractual pitfalls for sports stars

This week the Wimbledon tennis tournament got underway, with media reports noting how reigning champion Roger Federer “stunned onlookers by turning out on Centre Court in Uniqlo gear”. The focus then turned to the absence of his often-used RF logo, which is caught up in an ownership wrangle. Read more

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Serial trademark filer Ikuhiro Ueda speaks out: “I am the best troll”

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The Ueda Files: the world’s most prolific trademark filer and a conundrum for brands

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Asahi’s acquisition of Fuller’s shows value of brands in overseas expansion

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Asahi’s acquisition of Fuller’s shows value of brands in overseas expansion

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JPO apologises for data leak, Brunei joins TMview, and Absolut accused of trademark bullying: news digest

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You get what you pay for? Variances in law firm hourly rates revealed

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Trolls on the rise, Brexit disruption and China’s domination: data trends of 2018

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Mehmet Gün
Partner
Istanbul, Turkey
Gün + Partners
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