BUSINESS BRIEF: JAPAN
Copyright
What are the key challenges to copyright holders in your jurisdiction? Japan’s copyright registration system is weak with respect to maintaining evidence. Terefore, although under the Berne Convention it is not necessary to file and register a copyright, when copyright registration is sought we also submit the material to Japan’s Cultural Affairs Agency. We also make an abstract for the copyright, and/ or attach photos and/or digital soſtware-code data as appropriate.
How should people ensure they are protected against copyright infringement?
If a copyright holder has enough evidence to confirm the date of infringement
the work’s litigation is much
creation, easier to
undertake. We strongly urge the copyright holder to keep its copyrighted material, proof of creation, etc, with a third party as evidence.
What is the best way to deal with infringement, and what are the costs associated with it?
First, determine if infringement is actually occurring. If yes, send a warning letter and take action based on the reply. Te costs typically are:
Infringement confirmation JPY50,000 to 100,000 ($500 to $1,000)
Warning letters (up to 3 times) JPY60,000 to 100,000 ($600 to $1,000)
Lawsuit JPY500,000 to 1,000,000 ($5,000 to $10,000)
TABLE 1: COSTS OF OBTAINING AND DEFENDING A PATENT Application related procedures Filing Japanese application
Each additional claim Filing English language application
Filing request for examination of patent application Basic fee, and fee per claim
Response to the office action
Appeals and trial procedures Filing appeal against final rejection (one claim)
Registration/recordation procedures Registration of patent (one claim)
18,000 ($223) 60,000-220,000 ($745 - $2,734) 250,000 ($3,106) 23,000 ($285) TABLE 2: TYPICAL COSTS OF OBTAINING A TRADEMARK First class (JPY)
JPO fee for receiving and processing an application 12,000 ($149) JPO fee to register an approved trademark
37,600 ($467)
Filing appeal against decision of rejection (one class) 55,000 ($683) Registration fee
www.worldipreview.com 37,600 ($467)
Each additional class (JPY) 8,600 ($106)
37,600 ($467) 40,000 ($497) 37,600 ($467)
55,000 ($683) 7,500 ($93)
Ryo Maruyama handles all areas of patent
and trademark matters. Before
joining Kyosei, Maruyama worked in the JPO, serving as senior appeals examiner for more than 11 years. He also served for five years as general manager of the international IP research division of AIPPI Japan.
World Intellectual Property Review Annual 2013 123
Attorney's fee (JPY) 150,000 ($1,864)
4,000 ($49) 24,000 ($298)
118,000 ($1,466) 4,000 ($49)
Official fee (JPY) 15,000 ($186)
Have there been any changes to the copyright law(s) in the last 12 months?
Te law now specifies (i) that a person can use neighbouring rights the same as an unknown rights holder (Article 67); and (ii) how a person can use neighbouring rights of an unknown rights holder (Article 103).
Also what constitutes ‘reasonable effort’ in
searching for unknown rights holders has been clarified (Article 67).
Ryo Maruyama is a Japanese patent attorney and vice-president and chief patent attorney of Kyosei International Patent Office. He can be contacted at:
info@kyosei.or.jp
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