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Tag - intellectual-property

 
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July 24, 2026
 

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Representatives of organizations behind products newly registered as geographical indications (GI), including Japanese tea, pose with Vice Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yuhei Yamashita (second from right) at the ministry on Friday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 10, 2026
Government registers ¡®Japanese tea¡¯ under brand protection system
The agriculture ministry aims to combat intellectual property infringement by imitation products amid a global boom in matcha.
Content that infringes on an artist¡¯s copyrights include using AI to make a live-action version of an anime from images of celebrities or generating anime characters¡¯ voices to have them sing popular songs.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 9, 2026
AI-related copyright losses cost celebrities up to ?4.5 billion, study says
Over 43,000 AI-generated images and videos that used celebrities¡¯ likenesses without their consent were created over a two-month period last year.
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 6, 2026
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Hard-working Japanese businesses and creators are banding together to drive what is now one of Japan¡¯s most valuable assets.
Alibaba¡¯s American depositary receipts sank to a session low on the news, falling more than 3% to $99.10 at 3:38 p.m. in New York on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 25, 2026
Anthropic accuses Alibaba of ¡®illicitly¡¯ accessing AI models
The U.S. AI developer had previously decided to keep its products out of China.
A cyber extortion group has claimed that pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk refused the group's demand of $25 million after stealing more than a terabyte of data from the company.
BUSINESS
Jun 17, 2026
Hacking group claims major attack of Novo Nordisk and attempted $25 million extortion
FulcrumSec, a cyber extortion group that emerged in October 2025, has said in a message ?posted online that it spent more than two months in Novo Nordisk¡¯s ?networks stealing data.
U.S. President Donald Trump posted an apparently AI-generated video on his digital platform Truth Social last Saturday that included a short segment depicting himself dressed as the protagonist from the popular anime franchise "Naruto.¡±
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jun 13, 2026
Japan pushes back on Trump¡¯s anime posts
President Donald Trump¡¯s use of Japanese anime-style imagery on his social media account has not gone over well in Japan.
A popular voice actor has sued TikTok¡¯s operator over videos allegedly using an AI-generated imitation of his voice without permission.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
May 26, 2026
Actor files lawsuit against TikTok operator over AI-generated voice use
The lawsuit, filed with the Tokyo District Court by Kenjiro Tsuda last November,?is believed to be the first of its kind in Japan.
A SkyFall P1-Sun interceptor drone during trials in Ukraine in March. Through a combination of new technology and tactics, Kyiv¡¯s forces have been able to strike deep into Russian territory, to slow and in some cases even reverse battlefield gains by Moscow¡¯s bigger army and inflict significant damage on oil facilities that help finance the Kremlin¡¯s war machine.
WORLD / Politics
May 20, 2026
U.S. seeking transfer of intellectual property rights in drone deal, Kyiv says
Washington appears interested in getting access to critical technologies and rights that would allow it to replicate the equipment, a source said.
The culture agency is looking to pass the copyright revision in the current parliamentary session ending in July and aims to have the law take effect within the next three years.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
May 15, 2026
Copyright law revision to extend compensation for artists
The Cabinet on Friday pushed forward the bill, which, once passed by parliament, aims to pass on usage fees to musicians.
A new crackdown on online piracy and counterfeit goods by Vietnam will also tackle copyright violations by ?computer programs, movies, music, TV shows and online video games.
BUSINESS
May 6, 2026
Vietnam cracks down on online piracy and counterfeit goods amid U.S. tariff threat
Washington revived the prospect of fresh tariffs last week over Hanoi¡¯s ?¡°persistent failure¡± to tackle intellectual property violations.
Chen Li-ming, a former Tokyo Electron employee, arrives at the Intellectual Property and Commercial Court for a verdict in a trade secrets case involving Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Tokyo Electron¡¯s Taiwan unit, in New Taipei City, Taiwan, on Monday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 27, 2026
Former Tokyo Electron staff gets decade in jail for TSMC breach
Taiwan¡¯s Intellectual Property and Commercial Court also handed out jail sentences on four others and fined Tokyo Electron¡¯s local unit.
Japan's Zoom asked Zoom Video Communications to stop using the logo for the videoconferencing service in April 2020.
BUSINESS
Apr 24, 2026
Zoom ordered to pay damages for violating Japan firm¡¯s trademark
In handing down the ruling, the presiding judge acknowledged that the two companies¡¯ logos were similar in appearance and name.
The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association is calling for social media platforms to adopt stricter regulations toward those engaged in illegal postings.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Media
Mar 23, 2026
?3.2 billion lost in advertising revenue due to illicit postings on YouTube
Given a sampling of only 300 social media accounts for its illegal streaming survey, the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association called its results ¡°only the tip of the iceberg.¡±
A video posted by the White House featuring a graphic from Nintendo's Wii Sports video game.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Mar 14, 2026
Japanese games and manga used in White House¡¯s airstrike videos
The videos have been criticized for making light of deadly attacks.
As Japan accelerates AI adoption, policymakers and corporations frame the technology as essential to offsetting a projected labor shortfall of 11 million workers by 2040.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / Longform
Mar 2, 2026
Japan is betting big on AI. Few workers have used it.
Surveys show strong public confidence, despite shallow workplace adoption and unresolved cultural concerns.
The Cultural Affairs Agency will introduce a new system in April that compels users to pay copyright fees even in cases in which the creator or the copyright holder is not known.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Feb 27, 2026
Culture agency to charge fees for use of works by unknown authors
From April, copyright holders of previously unattributed works who come forward after the agency grants usage permission for them can obtain compensation from it.
Visitors at the Tokyo Game Show 2025 held in the city of Chiba in September. The government has set a target of boosting annual overseas sales of Japanese content such as anime and video games to ?20 trillion by 2033.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / FOCUS
Feb 11, 2026
Japan to boost aid for video games and anime as new pillar of growth
Placing the content industry as a new pillar of economic growth, the government set a target of boosting annual overseas sales to ?20 trillion by 2033.
Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate performs during the men's short program at the ISU Figure Skating European Championships in Sheffield, England on Jan. 15.
OLYMPICS / Figure skating
Feb 3, 2026
Spanish figure skater says ¡®Minions¡¯ music barred due to copyright issue
Tomas-Llorenc Guarino ?Sabate, 26, dressed ?in a yellow t-shirt and blue overalls during ?his performance to resemble the popular animated characters.
Japan is cracking down on online piracy and counterfeit products related to Japanese anime, games and other content, which caused over ?10 trillion in damages.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Jan 27, 2026
Japan content piracy and fake goods cause ?10.4 trillion in damage
The government is aiming to crack down on illegal activities to reach its goal of increasing overseas sales of the Japanese content industry to ?20 trillion by 2033.
Cartoonist Mitsuru Yaku (center) and other executives of Freelance League of Japan announces their survey to reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Jan 21, 2026
One in 10 Japanese creatives see income fall due to generative AI
Survey respondents cited being asked to accept shorter deadlines and lower fees, or losing commissions altogether.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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