Published: 1/25/16
Publication: IAM
Japan’s Fair Trade Commission last week announced changes to the document which governs how its antitrust regulators look at actions taken by IP owners, particularly those who own standards-essential patents (SEPs), in the context of the country’s Anti-Monopoly Act. The amendments appear little changed from those which were released for comment last summer, which generated divisions in industry and even, some observers said, the government. Their adoption confirms Japan as just one of the increasing number of Asian jurisdictions in which SEP owners will have to tread more carefully.