[Article/Unfair Competition Prevention Act] Usefulness and Non-Public Status of Trade Secrets: The Tin Alloy Composition Case (Chen Keyu, 2018)
更新日：2 日前
Article information
Article type: Publication review
Category: Unfair competition law, Patents
Topics: Inventive step, Trade secrets
First published on this website: 2026-11-01
Display and classification checked: November 2, 2026
Originally published on Ameblo: 2025-05-16 (Japan time). Full English translation.
[Article/Unfair Competition Prevention Act] Usefulness and Non-Public Status of Trade Secrets: The Tin Alloy Composition Case (Chen Keyu, Intellectual Property Law and Policy Journal, Vol. 52 (2018)）
There are two views of the test for “usefulness” of trade secrets: (1) it has only the limited meaning of excluding scandalous information and other information unrelated to incentives for development; and (2) it is a demanding requirement comparable to inventive step.
The Tokyo District Court, 2001 (Wa) 7445, [Crepe Mix Liquid] case and the Osaka District Court, 2014 (Wa) 11151, [Tin Alloy Composition] case (this case) imposed a demanding requirement by denying usefulness on the ground that there was no additional effect over publicly known technology.
Translator’s notes (editorial)
The body heading ends without closing the author/publication parenthesis; retained.
Update history
The first-published date remains unchanged. Display maintenance, classification changes, related-article updates, and text corrections are recorded separately.
November 1, 2026: First published on this website.
November 2, 2026: Added article information, classification, topics, language navigation, related articles where the same case was confirmed, consultation guidance, and SEO. The original text and first-published date were preserved.
