Patent Case Law and Intellectual Property Practice Blog

日本語原文 / Japanese original Article information Article type: Case note Category: Trademarks Topics: Distinctiveness, Similarity of trademarks, Confusion First published on this website: 2026-11-01 Display and classification checked: November 2, 2026 Originally published on Ameblo: 2024-08-15 (Japan time). Full English translation. https://ameblo.jp/hideki-takaishi/entry-12863713938.html [Trademark] 2023 (Gyo-Ke) 10067 <Honda>Separating and assessing the essential part of a com

Read the Japanese version / 日本語版を読む Article information Article type: Case note Categories: Trademarks Topics: Similarity of trademarks, Trademark infringement First published on this website: 2026-10-16 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-17 Case information: Reiwa 4 (Wa) No. 16062 [Trademarks] Tokyo District Court, Reiwa 4 (Wa) No. 16062 — “仙修” (Judge Shibata) Registered mark: 仙脩 ① 仙修: similar ② 仙修六神丸: similar ③ 御所 (boxed separately) 仙修: similar ④ 御所仙修: dissimilar ①

日本語版 Article information Article type: Reports and activities Category: Trademarks Topics: Similarity of trademarks, Distinctiveness, Examination and appeal practice First published on this site: 2026-10-11 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-11 Trial and Appeal Practitioners Study Group Report 2024 — Theme 6 (Trademarks) [Similarity of composite marks] <Marks formed by adding other characters, etc., to an already registered mark> • Whether the registered-mark portion is

日本語版 Article information Article type: Case note Category: Trademarks Topics: Similarity of trademarks、Distinctiveness First published on this site: 2026-10-10 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-10 [Trademarks / Similarity] Tokyo High Court, Heisei 12 (Ne) No. 6252 *During prosecution, the applicant emphasized the distinctive spelling “BeaR.” → Dissimilar to “bear.” (Excerpts from the judgment, translated; portions omitted) [...] In the market for clothing and other desi

日本語版 Article information Article type: Administrative decision note Category: Trademarks Topics: Similarity of trademarks、Examination and appeal practice First published on this site: 2026-10-10 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-10 [Trademarks / JPO decision] Opposition No. 2023-900278 Although “UNIQLO” is well known, it is dissimilar to “UNIPRO,” and there is no likelihood of confusion in the broader sense (suggesting some form of affiliation). “There is no risk of con

日本語版 Article information Article type: Case note Category: Trademarks Topics: Similarity of trademarks First published on this site: 2026-10-10 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-10 [Trademarks / Similarity] IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Gyo-Ke) No. 10091 — “Connect One” (Judge Shimizu) The applied-for mark was held similar to the cited “コネクトワン” (Connect One) mark in standard characters. The applicant argued that its mark was pronounced “Connect Dot One.” However, where two or

日本語版を読む / Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Category: Trademarks Topics: Similarity of trademarks, Distinctiveness, Confusion, Abuse of rights, Patent corrections First published on this website: October 2, 2026 Case number (as stated in the source): Osaka District Court, Reiwa 6 (Wa) 5007 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-10 [Trademarks] Osaka District Court, Reiwa 6 (Wa) 5007, “Awa koi ichigo” <Presiding Judge Matsukawa> Trademark at issue:

⇒ Similar (separate assessment of figurative and word elements permitted) (1) Similarity of the marks

(First instance: Tokyo District Court, Reiwa 6 (Wa) 70003) The first-instance judgment (Tokyo District Court) that Internet forwarding settings and an on-screen video display did not infringe the “2ch” trademark was upheld.

1. The issue For composite marks combining a place name and a shop name, the issue in JPO registrability examination is which of two approaches to take. Some decisions extract a portion, excluding the weakly distinctive place name and comparing only the remaining characters with other marks; others compare the mark as a whole. This appears inconsistent.