ジョーンズ・デイ・ニュースレター：Japan Legal Update

Japanese police have arrested an alleged first uploader on Nyaa, the torrent index at the heart of anime piracy, marking a strategic shift from blocking sites to targeting source distributors. Using attribution tools developed under CODA's Cross-Border Enforcement Project, investigators identified and detained a Kanagawa resident suspected of seeding an NHK drama and numerous other works. This case signals a new enforcement approach focused on chokepoints in the distribution chain rather than endless domain

This case concerns the similarity of characters that appear in online games. Although several characters were the subject of this litigation, the court ruled...

The Japan Patent Office's 2026 Status Report reveals a significant 17% surge in patent applications driven by an unusual December filing spike, while registration rates and examination timelines remain stable.

In this article, we will clarify the current status and challenges of technology transfer at Japanese universities, focusing on TLOs, and how research results at universities are utilized.

On May 27, 2025, the Intellectual Property High Court of Japan awarded plaintiff Toray Industries, Inc. ("Toray") ¥21.76 billion (US$151 million; €133 million) in damages for patent infringement by defendants Sawai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("Sawai") and Fuso Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. ("Fuso").

Each country has its own patent practice. The Japanese patent practice also has some unique aspects.

Because Japan applies a strict first-to-file rule, opportunistic filers often racing to register brands before the rightful owners can act. If you don't secure protection early, you risk rebranding...

. . . However, the qualifying language, "unmodified existing," proved to be an unfortunate choice of words. . . .

In Cytiva BioProcess R&D AB v. JSR Corp., No. 2023-2074, the Federal Circuit addressed obviousness challenges to multiple patents related to affinity chromatography, clarifying when a "lead compound" inquiry may be substituted with an "obvious-to-try" analysis and when the presence of inherent properties may obviate the need to demonstrate a reasonable expectation of success.

Over the past several months, a debate over a website hosting free (pirated) manga (Japanese comic) content, Mangamura("Manga Village") and similar sites.

The Code is voluntary, but it will likely become an important reference point for demonstrating compliance with Article 50 of the AI Act.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a preliminary injunction against Perplexity AI, determining that when an AI agent acts at a user's direction, it is the user—not the AI company—who "accesses" computer systems under federal and California computer fraud statutes. This landmark appellate decision addresses how existing computer-access laws apply to agentic artificial intelligence and has significant implications...

The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are implementing overnight trading sessions starting December 6, 2026, extending the trading day to nearly 23 hours by compressing the daily pause to just one hour. While this evolution toward continuous trading introduces new considerations for corporate actions, disclosure timing, and deal execution, the practical impact varies significantly between NYSE-listed companies,

China's Supreme People's Court has issued comprehensive judicial rules addressing artificial intelligence disputes, establishing frameworks for product liability, intellectual property rights, and data protection. These landmark opinions provide critical guidance for global companies navigating AI-related legal risks in China's evolving regulatory landscape.

The Ninth Circuit has ruled that health plan participants whose confidential information was disclosed without authorization have standing to sue in federal court, even without showing financial loss or future harm. This decision, which departs from the risk-based approach many courts have applied since TransUnion, relies on the centuries-old action for breach of confidence and could have significant implications for companies' privacy commitments and data-sharing practices.

Mexico's comprehensive anti-money laundering framework has undergone a sweeping transformation through Acuerdo 115/2026, introducing mandatory risk-based methodologies, enhanced client due diligence protocols, and automated monitoring requirements. With implementation deadlines beginning March 1, 2027, obligated parties conducting vulnerable activities face compressed timelines to overhaul their compliance infrastructure while navigating heightened enforcement risks and stricter beneficial ownership thresho

The European Commission has initiated infringement procedures against 20 EU Member States for failing to transpose the EmpCo Directive by the March 27, 2026 deadline. This directive aims to combat greenwashing by requiring substantiation of environmental claims and third-party certification for sustainability labels, with full implementation expected by September 27, 2026.

The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center (IHMEC) held a third program as part of its Jones Day Foundation Community Series, a special series of educational events

The European Commission has proposed replacing the EU's three core procurement directives with a single, directly applicable Regulation that would fundamentally reshape how companies compete for public contracts across Member States. The reform introduces mandatory quality criteria thresholds, embeds ESG considerations as evaluation factors, and establishes new security and European-preference provisions that could restrict participation based on ownership, supply chain exposure, and strategic dependencies.

A federal court has struck down New York's Climate Change Superfund Act, which sought to recover $75 billion from fossil fuel companies based on historical emissions. The ruling found the Act preempted by the Clean Air Act, marking the first judicial decision on state climate superfund legislation and establishing that EPA's rescission of the endangerment finding does not alter preemption analysis.