2015 Asia-Pacific Conference: Trademarks in Japan

Registration / Continental Breakfast

Welcome and Introductions

Speakers:
J. Scott Evans, 2015 INTA President, Adobe Systems, Inc. (United States)
Akira Endo, Vice President, Japanese Trademark Association (JTA), Kao Corporation  (Japan)
Mona Lee, Hanol Law Offices (Korea) (Program Co-Chair)
Shunji Sato, TMI Associates (Tokyo, Japan) (Program Co-Chair)

Keynote Address

Speaker:
Hideyuki Morooka, Director-General, Trademark and Customer Relations Department, Japan Patent Office (Japan)

SESSION I

Nontraditional Trademarks

Under Article 2 of the Japanese Trademark Act, characters, figures, signs, three-dimensional shapes and any combination thereof currently qualify for registration. In April 2015, Japan will amend the Trademark Act to include additional, but not the entire scope of, nontraditional marks.

An expert panel of high-level officials from various countries will bring you the latest information, including:

• How Japan is expanding its law on nontraditional trademarks and what it is doing to prepare for the April 2015 enactment
• South Korea’s experience, including notable case law
• OHIM and European court decisions regarding nontraditional trademarks
• Corporate strategies for developing and utilizing nontraditional trademarks

Moderator:
Shunji Sato, TMI Associates (Japan)

Speakers:
John B. Hackett, AJ Park (New Zealand)
Marcus Hopperger, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (Switzerland)
Kazuhiro Kimura, Japan Patent Office (Japan)

Lunch

SESSION II

ASEAN Update

Be brought up to date on recent developments and trends in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Community, including:

• Recent decisions from the courts and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) that affect trademark practice in the ASEAN region
• Changes in laws and rules in the ASEAN countries, particularly the Myanmar Trademark Law
• ASEAN progress toward joining the Madrid Protocol
• International cooperation with the ASEAN IP system by WIPO, OHIM, JICA, JETRO and the JPO

Moderator:
Steven Liew, Steven Liew & Associates (Singapore)

Speakers:
Marion Heathcote, Davies Collison Cave (Australia)
Fabrice Mattei, Rouse & Co. International (Thailand) Ltd (Thailand)
Loke-Khoon Tan, Baker & McKenzie (Hong Kong, SAR)
Tin Ohnmar Tun, The Law Chambers (Myanmar)

Dessert Break

SESSION III

Geographical Indications

A new Geographical Indication law taking effect in early 2015 and aimed at promoting local agricultural and food brands will provide increased GI protection in Japan. Designed to enable the government to endorse high-quality farm products and food brands and contain counterfeits, the law is expected to improve the GI environment in Japan.

Receive valuable information and insights from distinguished authorities on:

• The most notable changes in GI law in Japan
• How Japan’s new GI system compares to the European Union system
• How Japan’s new GI system differs from the regional collective trademark system
• The latest developments in the ASEAN region regarding GIs

Moderator:
Marion Heathcote, Davies Collison (Australia)

Speakers:
Yuichi Fujita, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan)
Marcus Hopperger, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (Switzerland)
Naoki Koizumi, TMI Associates (Japan)
Fabrice Mattei, Rouse & Co. International (Thailand) Ltd (Thailand)

SESSION IV

Online Counterfeiting

A growing international conundrum, online counterfeiting is no less a problem in Southeast Asian countries than it is in other countries of the world.

From the perspectives of a trademark owner, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and a practitioner, learn about effective strategies for combatting online counterfeiting. Topics include:

• The inherent conflicts between rights holders, counterfeiters and those whose business models for making a profit by facilitating Internet activity sometimes have the unintended consequence of also promoting trade in counterfeits.
• Enforcement tactics used by rights holders.
• A rights holder’s views on the problems, including current successes and frustrations, and the latest innovations to try to keep pace with (or even get one step ahead of) the counterfeiters.

Moderator:
J. Scott Evans, Adobe Systems (United States)

Speakers:
David Ho, Alibaba Group (Hong Kong SAR)
Tomohiro Nakamura, Konishi & Nakamura (Japan)
Koji Takahashi, Pfizer Japan Inc. (Japan)
Tiffany Trunko, Pfizer Inc. (United States)

Adjourn

Welcome Reception

Registration

Overview of Day Two

Mona Lee, Hanol Law Offices (Korea) (Program Co-Chair)
Shunji Sato, TMI Associates (Japan) (Program Co-Chair)

SESSION V

What In-House Counsel Expect from Outside Counsel

Good communication is essential for maintaining, and even growing, a successful business relationship between in-house and outside counsel. This open dialogue session promises to be a perfect opportunity for in-house counsel to engage in benchmarking and for outside counsel to learn how to keep corporate clients happy.

Moderator:
Tomohiro Nakamura, Konishi & Nakamura (Japan)

Speakers:
Yoshihito Chikakura, Nippon Menard Cosmetic Co., Ltd. (Japan)
Steven Liew, Steven Liew & Associates (Singapore)
Koji Takahashi, Pfizer Japan Inc. (Japan)

Break

SESSION VI

Maximizing the Value of Your Brand

The leveraging of brand power is an important aspect of brand management. If done properly, it can lead to increased profits or can even be the saving grace of a company. One way a number of brand owners have leveraged such power, particularly during economically difficult times, is through successful brand extensions. Of course, there have also been a number of brand extension bloopers, which can end up being painfully humorous in hindsight. Learn what works and what doesn’t, and what goes into the brand extension decision-making process, as well as best practices.

Moderator:
Mona Lee, Hanol Law Offices (Korea)

Speakers:
Akira Endo, Kao Corporation  (Japan)
Akira Kato, Ryohin Keikaku (Japan)
Mona Lee, Hanol Law Offices (Korea)
Yoshinori Nishino, Panasonic Corporation (Japan)

Wrap-Up / Adjournment