“Can Famous Brand Names Be Protected Even When Combined with Other Elements?,” by Yasuhiro Sato (The Invention 2025 No.7)

Yasuhiro Sato wrote an article published in The Invention 2025 No.7.  Yasu’s article, “Can Famous Brand Names Be Protected Even When Combined with Other Elements?” discusses a recent court decision about trademark rights.  The Intellectual Property High Court ruled that when a trademark combines multiple elements, a well-known brand name within that combination can still be protected on its own.  In this case, the court found that “VALENTINO” could be treated as a separate trademark even when it appeared as part of a larger, combined trademark, because the VALENTINO brand is so well-known in the fashion industry.