Regional Brands in JAPAN Regional Brands - Regional Collective Trademarks - - Regional Collective Trademarks Regional Brands in JAPAN - Regional Collective Trademarks - METI Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry JPO Japan Patent Office (JPO) 1. Background for introducing “Regional Collective Trademark System” Recently, many local communities are actively working to make effective use of so called “regional brands.” Regional brands have generally originated in local specialties such as special local products that made use of items found naturally or natural features in the respective regions, traditional arts and crafts relating to the local rich histories, or characteristic services provided in local communities. Business operators in their own localities are trying to establish their own “regional brands” by naming these local specialties after the names of their regions, and collectively establishing them as common brands among the community. The operators are focusing on differentiating their regional brands from goods and/or services that come from other regions, and improving their added value, in order to revitalize local industries and boost the development of the local communities. In most cases, the names of these regional brands reflect the names of the regions from where these brands originate. Under the former trademark system in Japan, the exclusive use of these regional/geographical names by only certain business operators was considered to be inappropriate because other business operators might want to use these names as well in their businesses. As a result, regional brands were not able to be registered as trademarks in the past, except for those that were well-known all over the country. However, in 2005, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) revised the Trademark Act, and in 2006 introduced the “Regional Collective Trademark System” as a means of more promptly and properly protecting regional brands, establishing trademark rights for them under the revised Trademark Act. 001 By the end of September 2013, 1,044 applications had been filed with the JPO to register regional brands, mainly for local specialty products that are being produced in Japan, with 551 having already been registered as regional collective trademarks. 2. Outline of the Regional Collective Trademark System The trademarks that can be protected under the Japanese Trademark Act as regional collective trademarks are those whose names consist of their respective region’s name along with the respective name of the regional goods or services, i.e., “trademarks containing the names of regions.” In the regional collective trademark system, trademarks containing the names of regions, although they are not famous nationwide, can be registered as regional collective trademarks under the following situations: (1) the specific goods and/or services have a very close relationship with the regions, and (2) they have become well- known in a specific geographical area due to the these goods and/ or services being used by local business cooperatives, agricultural cooperatives, or other collective groups or organizations. When trademarks containing the names of regions are registered as regional collective trademarks, the trademark rights that are granted become effective throughout Japan. Regional collective trademark rights holders have exclusive rights to use the registered trademarks that are connected to the designated goods and/or designated services. 002 Also, if any third parties take advantage of using regional collective trademarks, the trademark rights holders for these regional collective trademarks may take the following actions: (1) Seek an injunction against the use of their regional collective trademarks (2) Demand that any products, on which the regional collective trademarks are being used without authorization, be disposed and that any equipment used to produce the products be confiscated. (3) Claim compensation for damages caused to them, the trademark rights holders Consequently, by virtue of the above rules and regulations, trademark rights holders of regional collective trademarks, after having put much effort into raising the popularity of and increasing the reliability of such products over a long period of time, are finally in a position to use their regional brands without worry. In addition, they are able to easily stop any unauthorized use of their registered trademarks by third parties, except for any third parties who have used the trademarks in good faith before the regional collective trademarks were granted. Thanks to the regional collective trademark system, local business cooperatives, agricultural cooperatives, and other collective groups and organizations are now able themselves to protect, and further develop, their regional brands. The JPO believes that this is a very useful system to revitalize local industries and promote the betterment and economic development of local communities. 003 Kanto and Koshin-etsu Region Shikoku Region（四国地方） （関東・甲信越地方） Tokushima Prefecture（徳島県） Ibaraki Prefecture（茨城県） Kagawa Prefecture（香川県） Tochigi Prefecture（栃木県） Ehime Prefecture（愛媛県） Gunma Prefecture（群馬県） Hokkaido Kochi Prefecture（高知県） Saitama Prefecture（埼玉県） Chiba Prefecture（千葉県） Tokyo（東京都） Chugoku Region（中国地方） Kanagawa Prefecture（神奈川県） Tottori Prefecture（鳥取県） Niigata Prefecture（新潟県） Shimane Prefecture（島根県） Yamanashi Prefecture（山梨県） Okayama Prefecture（岡山県） Nagano Prefecture（長野県） Hiroshima Prefecture（広島県） Aomori （山口県） Yamaguchi Prefecture Tokai Region（東海地方） Gifu Prefecture（岐阜県） Shizuoka Prefecture（静岡県） Akita Iwate Kyushu Region（九州地方） Aichi Prefecture（愛知県） Fukuoka Prefecture（福岡県） Mie Prefecture（三重県） Saga Prefecture（佐賀県） Yamagata Miyagi Nagasaki Prefecture（長崎県） Kinki Region（近畿地方） Kumamoto Prefecture（熊本県） Shiga Prefecture（滋賀県） Oita Prefecture（大分県） Kyoto Prefecture （京都府） Miyazaki Prefecture（宮崎県） （大阪府） Osaka Prefecture Niigata Fukushima Kagoshima Prefecture（鹿児島県） Hyogo Prefecture（兵庫県） Nara Prefecture（奈良県） Wakayama Prefecture（和歌山県） Ishikawa Toyama Gunma Tochigi Ibaraki Okinawa（沖縄） Okinawa Prefecture（沖縄県） Fukui Nagano Saitama Shimane Tottori Gifu Tokyo Chiba Hyogo Kyoto Shiga Yamanashi Yamaguchi Hiroshima Okayama Kanagawa Shizuoka Saga Aichi Nagasaki Osaka Fukuoka Nara Oita Mie Kagawa Ehime Wakayama Kumamoto Tokushima Miyazaki Kochi Kagoshima Okinawa 004 Hokkaido （北海道） Hokkaido Hokkaido Tohoku Region（東北地方） Region Tohoku Tohoku Aomori Prefecture（青森県） Iwate Prefecture （岩手県） Miyagi Prefecture（宮城県） Akita Prefecture （秋田県） Kanto and Yamagata Prefecture（山形県） Koshin-etsu Region Fukushima Prefecture（福島県） Aomori Region Hokuriku Region（北陸地方） Hokuriku Toyama Prefecture （富山県） Akita Iwate Ishikawa Prefecture （石川県） Fukui Prefecture（福井県） Tokai Region Yamagata Miyagi Kinki Region Niigata Fukushima Ishikawa Region Toyama Chugoku Gunma Tochigi Ibaraki Fukui Nagano Saitama Shimane Tottori Region Gifu Shikoku Hyogo Kyoto Shiga Tokyo Chiba Yamaguchi Yamanashi Hiroshima Okayama Kanagawa Saga Nagasaki Shizuoka Region Fukuoka Osaka Nara Aichi Kyushu Oita Mie Kagawa Ehime Wakayama Kumamoto Tokushima Miyazaki Okinawa Kochi Kagoshima Okinawa 005 Hokkaido Reg. No. 5002095 Registered mark in Japan Hokkaido 十勝川西長いも ■Translation in English Tokachikawanishi Nagaimo Hokkaido ■Transcription in English tokachikawanishi nagaimo ■The holder of registered mark 帯広市川西農業協同組合 ■Products/Services in English Dioscorea batatas Hokkaido Reg. No. 5003522 Registered mark in Japan 鵡川ししゃも ■Translation in English Mukawa Shishamo Smelt ■Transcription in English mukawa shishamo ■The holder of registered mark 鵡川漁業協同組合 ■Products/Services in English Shishamo smelts, Dried shishamo smelts Hokkaido Reg. No. 5014163 Registered mark in Japan 豊浦いちご ■Translation in English Toyoura Strawberry ■Transcription in English toyoura ichigo ■The holder of registered mark とうや湖農業協同組合 ■Products/Services in English Strawberries 006 Hokkaido Reg. No. 5040944 Registered mark in Japan Hokkaido はぼまい昆布しょうゆ ■Translation in English Habomai Soy Sauce with dried kelp broth ■Transcription in English Hokkaido habomai konbu shoyu ■The holder of registered mark 歯舞漁業協同組合 ■Products/Services in English Soy sauce with dried kelp broth Hokkaido Reg. No. 5051631 Registered mark in Japan 大正メークイン ■Translation in English Taisho May Queen Potato ■Transcription in English taisho meikuiin ■The holder of registered mark Obihiro Taisyo Agricultural Co-operatives ■Products/Services in English Potatoes Hokkaido Reg. No. 5051632 Registered mark in Japan 大正長いも ■Translation in English Taisho Nagaimo ■Transcription in English taisho nagaimo ■The holder of registered mark Obihiro Taisyo Agricultural Co-operatives ■Products/Services in English Dioscorea batatas 007 Hokkaido Reg. No. 5051633 Registered mark in Japan Hokkaido 大正だいこん ■Translation in English Taisho Daikon Radish Hokkaido ■Transcription in English taisho daikon ■The holder of registered mark Obihiro Taisyo Agricultural Co-operatives ■Products/Services in English Japanese radishes Hokkaido Reg. No. 5062178 Registered mark in Japan 苫小牧産ほっき貝 ■Translation in English Tomakomai Surf Clam ■Transcription in English tomakomai san hokkigai ■The holder of registered mark 苫小牧漁業協同組合 ■Products/Services in English Surf clams Hokkaido Reg. No. 5063037 Registered mark in Japan 幌加内そば ■Translation in English Horokanai Soba Noodle ■Transcription in English horokanai soba ■The holder of registered mark kitasorachi agricultural cooperatives ■Products/Services in English Soba noodles 008 Hokkaido Reg. No. 5075147 Registered mark in Japan Hokkaido 虎杖浜たらこ ■Translation in English Kojohama Cod roe ■Transcription in English