Article 3(1)(3)

Acquired distinctiveness, Article 3(1)(3), Article 3(2), Color marks, Distinctiveness, IP High Court, New Trademark Law, Non-Traditional trademark, Trademark Appeal 07/12/2020

Japan IP High Court Refuses Trademark Protection for Orange Color Mark

On 23 June 2020, the Japan IP High …

Acquired distinctiveness, alphabetical name, Article 3(1)(3), Article 3(2), Article 4(1)(xvi), Descriptive mark, Distinctiveness, Famous mark, Geographical indication, Trademark Appeal 06/13/2020

Sweet, but long road to register “Ghana” on chocolates

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) allow…

Article 3(1)(3), Three dimensional mark, Trademark Examination Guideline 04/19/2020

JPO protects 3D shape of cherry design bottle for soy sauce dispenser

In a recent administrative decision…

alphabetical name, Article 3(1)(3), Article 3(1)(vi), Article 4(1)(xi), Article 4(1)(xv), Article 4(1)(xvi), Descriptive mark, Famous mark, Invalidation, Likelihood of confusion, Opposition, Similarity of mark 03/15/2020

SWATCH Defeated in SWATCH vs iWATCH Trademark Dispute

The Trial Board of Japan Patent Off…

Acquired distinctiveness, Article 3(1)(3), Distinctiveness, IP High Court, New Trademark Law, Non-Traditional trademark, Position mark 02/29/2020

First ruling by IP High Court on New Type of Trademark in Japan

On February 14 2020, the Japan IP H…

Article 3(1)(3), Distinctiveness, examination, Geographical indication, Trademark Examination Guideline 02/15/2020

JPO registers PUERTA DEL SOL as trademark

In a recent appeal decision, the Ja…

Accelerated examination, Acquired distinctiveness, Article 3(1)(3), Article 3(2), Distinctiveness, Three dimensional mark 12/15/2019

Acquired distinctiveness for 3D shape of OMRON digital thermometer

The Japan Patent Office recently ad…

Acquired distinctiveness, Article 3(1)(3), Article 3(2), Three dimensional mark 10/19/2019

JPO rejects 3D Shape Mark of Giant Cotton Candy

In a dispute of registrability to a…

abbreviation, alphabetical name, Article 3(1)(3), Distinctiveness, Geographical indication, Opposition, Trademark Examination Guideline 09/15/2019

Is “VEGAS” an abbreviation for Las Vegas, or a source indicator?

In a trademark opposition disputing…

Article 3(1)(3), Device mark, examination, Figurative mark 03/31/2019

HISAMITSU unsuccessful in registering a shape of “Salonpas”

The Appeal Board of Japan Patent Of…