Koji SUGIMURA

Professional Experience

Mr. Sugimura is a Managing Partner of SUGIMURA & Partners. His practice encompasses consultation to dispute resolution, in areas of intellectual property laws and adjacent areas, including trade secrets, information technology, privacy act and media/entertainment.
Prior to assuming his position as the Managing Partner of SUGIMURA & Partners, Mr. Sugimura worked as an associate lawyer at Nishimura & Asahi. He has also served as a Legislative Affairs Officer at the General Affairs Division of the Japan Patent Office, acting in a primary role in the revision of the Patent Act, the employee invention system. Mr. Sugimura, based on the experience as the Legislative officer at JPO, has authored several articles on Japanese IP practice, with particular focus on employee invention.

Education

The University of Tokyo, School of Law (J.D.)
The University of Tokyo (LL.B.)

Practice Areas

Intellectual Property Law
Corporate Law
Trade Secret
Information Technology
Privacy Act
Media/Entertainment

Languages

English
Japanese

Committee Membership and Research, etc

Japan Patent Office, Research and Study Committee 2016; Review of Industrial Property Rights System; Committee Member
Research Topic: “Issues relating to Distinctiveness of Trademarks: Perspectives on Certification Marks and Trademarks Definitions” (2016-2017)
⇒Research Report

Japan Patent Office, Research and Study Committee 2013; Review of Industrial Property Rights System; Supervising Editor
Research Topic: “The Current State of the Exclusive License System” (2014)
⇒Research Report

Japan Patent Office, Research and Study Committee 2013; Review of Industrial Property Rights System; Observer
Research Topic: “Issues and solutions for business regarding operation of systems based on Article 35 of the Japan Patents Act” (2013-2014)
⇒Research Report

Publications

“New Commentary of the Patent Act, vol. 3, 2nd edition”
Seirin Shoin, Co-Authored 2017

“Practical Commentary on the Employee Invention System as Reformed in 2015”
Shojihoumu, Co-Authored 2016

“The Commentary on the Industrial Property Law (The 2014 Revisions to the Patent Act and Other Acts)”
Law & Technology, Co-Authored 2014

“Intellectual Property Law, 5th edition”
Kobundo Publishers, Co-Authored 2013

Articles (including co-authored)

"A comparison of healthtech regulatory issues in North Asia: Japan"
Asia Business Law Journal, 2024

”Japan’s IP trends in the age of distributed economic and knowledge activities”
The Patent Lawyer July/August 2023, p. 60, 2023

“Intellectual Property Law Compass Series, 25th edition, Reconsidering ‘Invention’ Eligibility in the AI/IoT Era (Ikinari Steak Case)”
Business Law Journal Vol. 138, p. 122, 2019

“To Maintain the Integrity of Medical and Health Information Dissemination to Society – Utilization of Objections”
Law & Technology Vol.84, p.66, 2019

“Intellectual Property Law Compass Series, 15th edition, Time Limit for Patent Invalidity Defense and Abuse of Rights Defense (Emmax Case)”
Business Law Journal Vol.118, p.118, 2018

“Open Innovation and Open & Closed Strategy”
NBL Vol.1107-1112, 2017

“Defining Trademarks in terms of Distinctiveness – Considering the Effects on Other Articles and Acts”
Japan Patent Office Research Report, p.155, 2017

“IP in Business Transactions: Japan Overview”
Practical Law Global Guide 2016/17 (Japan Chapter), Thomson Reuters 2016

“The TPP Agreement – Outline and Practical Compliance, Focusing on Intellectual Property and ISDS”
Business Law Journal Vol. 95, p.60, 2016

“Commentary on Draft Guidelines for Employee Inventions”
NBL Vol.1066-1088, 2016

“Practical Tips for 2015 Reform of the Employee Invention System”
NBL No.1058, p.26, 2015

“Expansion of Scope of Protection on Trademark Law (2014 Revisions to Patent Act and Others)”
Copyright Vol.54, p. 24, 2014

“Outline of the 2014 Revisions to the Patent Act and Other Acts (the “Revision Act”)”
AIPPI Journal Vol.39, No.6, p.363, 2014

“Outline of the 2014 Partial Revision of the Patents Act”
Law & Technology Vol.64, p.51, 2014

“Outline of the Partial Revision of the Patents Act and Others”
NBL Vol.1028, p.43, 2014

“Practical Problems for Law relating to Cloud Computing”
NBL Vol.976~981, 2012

“Survey Report on the State of Licensing of Broadcasting and Merchandising Rights in the Professional Baseball and Football Industries – Bridging Commerce and Law”
Soft Law Research Vol.4, p.83, 2005

Seminars

“Practice on Employee Invention System as Reformed”
Economic Research and Study Association, October 2017

“How to Draft Usable Offensive/Defensive Intellectual Property Contracts”
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Central Region Branch, December 2016

“Practical Commentary on the Employee Invention System (Patent Act 35) as Reformed”
Japan Intellectual Property Association, October 2016

“Employee Invention System Reform, Practical Commentary and Q&A by Legislative Affairs Officer of JPO”
Economic Research and Study Association, March 2016

“Commentary on the Practical Effects of the 2015 Revision of the Patent Act (Employee Invention) and Others” Nishimura & Asahi Legal Forum, September, 2015