trademark

Last year I travelled to Fukui Prefecture.
Fukui is called the Dinosaur Kingdom. I saw many things about dinosaurs both inside and outside JR Fukui Station.

During my trip, I had the opportunity to ride on the “Echizen Railway”, a regional railway that runs through Fukui Prefecture.
The exterior of Fukui Station on the Echizen Railway is a soothing red color, and the interior of the station building is made from lots of wood, making it a very nice station building.

IC cards are not accepted, so I bought a ticket and boarded the train.

I rode only two stations this time, but the “Echizen Railway” has the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line heading towards Eiheiji and Katsuyama and the Mikuni Awara Line heading towards Awara Onsen, which seems convenient for sightseeing. Next time, I would like to take the “Echizen Railway” and tour around Fukui Prefecture at a leisurely pace.

“Echizen Railway” and the mark, which appears to be a graphic representation of the letter E, were registered as a trademark on 5 September 2003 for the designated services, including “transport by rail” (Japanese Registration No. 4706690, Registration No. 4706691).
(Sakuramochi)

At the beginning of February, the water heater in my home broke down and I had to replace it.
I have replaced my EcoCute, which was first installed in 2010.
It broke down suddenly without warning, so we didn’t have time to consider the manufacturer, model, etc. The contractor suggested the quickest possible installation, which was completed in five days.

(Example of EcoCute)

EcoCute has an image of being both environmentally and wallet-friendly, but I took the opportunity to find out a little more about it.

According to Wikipedia, the official name of EcoCute is “natural refrigerant heat pump water heater” and the name “EcoCute” is a registered trademark of Kansai Electric Power Company, a nickname used by Japanese power and water heater manufacturers. In April 2001, based on a basic patent from Denso and other companies, CORONA CORPORATION launched the world’s first EcoCute, and I was suddenly interested to learn that our client Denso was involved in its development.
Further investigation revealed that research technology aimed at developing car air-conditioners using carbon dioxide (CO2) as a natural refrigerant had caught the attention of researchers at the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, who were studying next-generation hot-water supply systems, and members of a TEPCO research team who were looking for new product development, and they decided to launch a project called “Heat pump water heater using natural refrigerants” by three companies from different industries. (For more information, see website below).
Denso EcoCute Development Story｜Technology｜Natural Refrigerant Water Heater EcoCute | Denso (denso.com) (Japanese only)

One of the notable advantages of EcoCute is that it is equipped with an emergency water intake tap, so that the water in the tank can be used as domestic water when the water supply is cut off due to a disaster.
Daikin’s official website states that a 370-litre hot water storage tank can provide a family of four with about three days’ worth of water for emergency use.
Preparing for Disasters with EcoCute｜EcoCute｜Daikin Industries, Ltd. (daikin.co.jp) (Japanese only)
EcoCute is expected to become more and more popular as it reduces the environmental burden, lowers utility costs and helps to mitigate disasters.

By the way, did you know that ‘Kyuto in Japanese, Cute’ in EcoCute is taken from the word ‘Kyutou in Japanese, hot water supply’? I hadn’t noticed that at all! It’s a very good name♪ (cacao)

When I go to a supermarket or a discount store, freshly baked sweet potatoes are sold regardless of summer or winter, and a delicious smell drifts around the baked sweet potato machine, and I end up buying it.
The other day, I found the familiar ‘Calbee’ logo of the famous snack food company ‘Calbee, Inc.’ on the back of a bag of baked sweet potato I had purchased.

Curious, I looked up the printed part ‘Calbee Kaitsuka Sweet Potato’ and found that the company was ‘Calbee Kaitsuka Sweet Potato Co’. This company is an affiliate of ‘Calbee, Inc.’, and was the largest sweet potato company in Ibaraki Prefecture, but became ‘Calbee Kaitsuka Sweet Potato, Inc.’.
The baked sweet potato purchased this time is registered as a trademark under the product name ‘Beni Tenshi’. (Time)

●Japanese registered trademark:
Standard character trademark: Beni Tenshi
Registration number: No. 6759317
Date of registration: 4 December 2023
Trademark proprietor: Calbee Kaitsuka Sweet Potato, Inc.
https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/c1800/TR/JP-2023-070198/36693255AF0B68F3576D5DF184115144024C69B862FA852775912DE698002B61/40/en

On November 2, 2023, a new Beatles song, “Now and Then,” was released.
The Beatles broke up in 1970, but this was their first new song release in 27 years, since 1996, and it made a big splash. It is said that “Now and Then” is the last new Beatles song.

There is another reason why it became a big topic.
This song is based on a cassette tape that the late John Lennon wrote in the late 1970s and recorded while playing the piano at home.
The sound quality of the cassette tape was so bad that it was impossible with earlier technology to extract only the singing voice over the piano.
His voice was overlaid on Paul McCartney’s and Ringo Starr’s performances and the late George Harrison’s sound sources to create a complete new song by the four members, which has now been officially released.

I listened to the song shortly after its release and found the sound quality to be unmistakably that of a demo tape, with a somber atmosphere and the universal appeal of the Beatles.
The lyrics of the song express gratitude and affection for the person from whom they have drifted apart, but perhaps the members expressed their feelings for each other, not only from John Lennon’s point of view, but also from each other’s, by putting this song out into the world as a Beatles’ song.
I am sure that the song has touched the hearts of not only the old Beatles fans but also the younger generation of fans. (Syszo)

In Japan, 13 trademarks for “THE BEATLES” and “BEATLES” have been registered by Apple Corps Limited. If you are interested, please search for them on J-PlatPat.

On a personal note, I paid my hometown tax through “Satofuru” in December 2023.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ “Understanding Furusato Taxation! Furusato Tax Payment” of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications states, “The Furusato Tax Payment System was established as a system that allows people to contribute to the hometown where they were born and raised, and to choose the municipality they wish to support at their own will.
So, I wondered. Where exactly is my hometown?
For many people, their hometown is the place where they were born and raised, where they went to school, or where they worked. Or, the place where one’s parents live can also be considered one’s hometown.
But where is the hometown of a person who was born and raised in different places?
I thought about the hometowns of people who are often transferred from one place to another or who spent their childhood in a foreign country like myself, and I thought that the place where they have spent the most time since their birth would be appropriate.

This time I paid my hometown tax to Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture, where my grandparents live. I chose Kyotango City because I sometimes visit there during long vacations and I wanted to contribute to the municipality that has taken care of me so well.
I received 10 kilograms of rice and Japanese beef as a thank-you gift♪ (Rabbit)

“Satofuru” is a registered trademark of SB Players Co.

Hometown tax payment site [Satofuru] No.1 in recognition of search by ranking and reviews (satofull.jp) (Japanese only)
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications｜Understand! Furusato Tax Payment｜Understand well! Furusato Tax Payment (soumu.go.jp) (Japanese only)

This month, our client SUN-SHIELD Co., Ltd. released a simulation application for crane operations.
The name of the app is “Tsutaro”(つったろう).

This application displays a crane in real space using AR and enables various simulations. It is intended to be used in situations where it is difficult to verify in advance with an actual crane, such as “Can the crane be positioned in the planned work area?”, “Is it possible to work without hitting any obstacles?”,etc.
Crane operations may seem a little difficult to approach for those who are not involved in the field, but thanks to the name “Tsutaro,” some people may feel free to download the application.
I think it is a very nice name that indicates the contents of the application and is familiar and easy to remember.

When I actually downloaded the application, I was able to enjoy the simulation as if it were a game. I was surprised that I could easily experience AR with my own smartphone.

When operating the app, the above logo is used as an AR marker.
Our firm represented the application for the application name “Tsutaro” and the logo mark above. The application for “Tsutaro” is currently pending (Trademark Application No. 2023-079991), and the logo mark was registered (Japanese Trademark Registration No. 6761123) on December 11, 2023.　　　（Sakura Mochi)

Why don’t you register your company’s important product or service name as a trademark?
Please feel free to contact us here for consultation and request for trademark registration.
Of course, individual clients are also welcome.

App Store “Tsutaro”:
https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/%E3%81%A4%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F%E3%82%8D%E3%81%86/id6473239438
※Only available in the App Store.

The results of the “Japan Naming Awards 2023” was announced recently.
This year marks the fourth annual holding of this award, and this year’s grand prize went to the singing voice synthesizer “Hatsune Miku”.

The competition was not limited to names created during the year, but also included “product names,” “service names,” and “company names” that were sold or offered in Japan during this period.
In addition, the entry must be “trademark registered”.

Among the permanent awards is the “Regional Soul Brand Category/Award,” which sets a strategic area each year and encourages a large number of entries to revitalize the local economy. This year it was Fukuoka Prefecture, last year it was Okinawa Prefecture, and the year before that was Hokkaido. When Aichi Prefecture becomes a strategic area, we hope that a large number of local companies will enter the competition to boost the local economy.

After developing a new product or service, it is important to dress it up with a thoughtful “name” and send it out to the world.
We can help you register your name as a trademark. We can also advise you on how to review your naming strategy by checking to see if something similar to your name is already in use by a competing company.
Please feel free to contact us.

Incidentally, on a personal note, I was surprised to see that “Rental Do Nothing Person”, which won the Jury’s Special Award, was properly registered as a trademark.(Cacao)
Japan Naming Award website (Japanese only)

Nagoya Station and Sakae are two of the most popular downtown areas in Nagoya, but Sakae is currently lagging behind Nagoya Station, which is being revitalized through remarkable redevelopment.
One reason is that Sakae is in the process of demolishing and rebuilding many of its aging buildings, resulting in fewer commercial facilities and stores overall, and therefore attracting fewer customers.

One of the buildings under reconstruction is the Chunichi Building.
Built in 1966, it has long been a familiar building with a retro Nagoya feel, and will have its grand opening in the spring of 2024.

The building complex will consist of stores and restaurants from the basement to fifth and seventh floors, a hotel, hall, rooftop plaza, and offices.
The rooftop plaza on the 7th floor will inevitably become a popular spot for relaxation and a place to overlook the Sakae cityscape.
(Time)

Chunichi Building Official Website (Only in Japanese)
https://chunichi-building.jp/

Related trademarks (from J-PlatPat)
Trademark owner: Chubu-Nippon Building Co.
Registered trademark (standard characters): “Korekaramo, machitosakaeru.”
Registration number: Japanese Trademark Registration No. 6698883
Date of registration: May 17, 2023
https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/c1800/TR/JP-2022-135505/41DB6D48172104020DBBB54A428156D99454BB5AE423959C1508690DC2257226/40/en