In Japan, a product invention can be identified in a claim by its production process (product-by-process claim). In this case, the Supreme Court judged an interpretation of a technical scope of the product-by-process claim in patent-infringement litigation.

The plaintiff, who holds a design right for a partial design of an article "Packaging Box" (Design Registration No. 1440898; the "Design Right"), alleged against the defendant...

Many incidents have recently been reported concerning misappropriation of Japanese companies' trade secret, especially by foreign entities.

The amended Japanese Trademark Act, which provides that a trademark registration for a non-traditional mark is accepted, came into effect on April 1, 2015.

Before initiating litigation, in most cases, an IP right holder sends a warning letter to an alleged infringer in an ordinary situation.

The "first-to-file" principle has been long adopted and an exclusive right to a trademark shall come into force upon the trademark being registered at the Japan Patent Office (JPO).

A title of design, i.e., an article having the design, should be determined in accordance with the Japanese design classification specified under the ordinance of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The international application under PCT must be entered into the national phase within 30 months from the earliest priority date of the international application.