Some reflections on the Japanese Patent System

by Professor Hirofumi ITO,

Assistant Professor of Law at Toyohashi Sozo Junior College

7^th March ,2000  5.05-5.30pm at Custom House, Brisbane Queensland

 

1. Introduction

Educational background:

Aichi University Graduate School, Full completion of Doctor's course, Terminal Degree received, 1987-1991; University of Wisconsin-Madison, M.L.I.(Master of Arts Legal Institutions), 1988-1989; Aichi University Graduate School, LL.M., 1984-1986; Doshisha University Faculty of Law, BA in Law, 1976-1980.

 

Career

 Visiting Professor of Doshisha University Faculty of Law; Visiting Professor of Meijo University Faculty of Law

Speciality: Torts, Civil Law, Computer aided Legal Studies.

  Email: hirofumi@sozo.ac.jp

  Homepage: http://cals2.sozo2.ac.jp

2. Basics of Japanese Legal System

 2-1. Civil law country vs. Common law country

 2-2. Source of law (法源,Fonte juris)

I.   Written Laws: Statute(制定法,laws enacted by the Diet)

    A. Constitution(憲法)

    B. Law(法律)

    C. Government ordinance(政令)

    D. Ministerial ordinance(省令)

    E. Municipal ordinance(条例)

　II. Unwritten Laws:

    F. Customary law (慣習法)

　  G. Case law(判例法)

　  H. Theory established by a famous professor. Logical sequence(Reasonableness)(学説・条理)

 

More Information:

http://cals2.sozo2.ac.jp/cals/project/PN0423.html

3. Intellectual Property System

MITI(Ministry of International Trade and Industry) http://www.miti.go.jp

JPO(Japanese Patent Office; Subsidiary organization of MITI) http://www.jpo-miti.go.jp/

 

Intellectual Property Rights

 A. Laws protecting "Industrial Property Rights"

  a. Patent Law(特許法)

  b. New Utility Model Law(実用新案法)

  c. Design Law(意匠法)

  d. Trade Mark Law(商標法)

 B. Laws protecting "Other Intellectual Property

        Rights"

  e. laws for protection of semiconductor chips

                       (半導体回路配置利用権法)

　f. laws to stop unfair competition

                               (不正競争防止法)

　g. Copyright Law (著作権法)

　h. Seedling Law(種苗法)

 The competent authorities: a-d are JPO.

  e & f are MITI. g is the Agency for Cultural

  Affairs. h is the Ministry of Agriculture,

  Forestry and Fisheries.

 

4. Ask the Internet

 Information Retrieval on the Internet.

 Extract pin-pointed information from the flood of  Information

  A. Find a good Nutball(Link page) site.

    eg., http://www.austlii.edu.au/

  B. Use Search Engine especially using

                               boolean method.

   Exemplary damages are recognized in Japan ?

 (exemplary OR punitive) AND damages AND (Japan OR JAPAN)