[Speech report] Served as a seminar lecturer at the Japan Rental Box Association

My name is Takefumi Sugiura and I am a patent attorney.

On December 5th, at a seminar hosted by the Japan Rental Box Association, I gave a talk on the theme of "Knowledge of intellectual property that rental box operators should know."

On the day of the event, we focused on conveying the following points to managers and business owners, not just on legal theory, but on "practical practices to protect your business."

▼Main points discussed

🔸 Risks hidden in customer attraction lines

There is a risk of trademark infringement not only on billboards, but also on all touchpoints with customers, such as websites, Google Maps (MEO), and social media hashtags2.

🔸 Costs that cannot be covered by “not knowing”

Compared to the cost of trademark research and filing, the damage caused by having to remove a signboard or change the brand (rebranding) due to infringement problems is enormous. We explained the importance of risk avoidance from the perspective of "cost conversion."

🔸 Surprising registration examples

There are many cases where even "place name + storage room" or "combination of general terms" are registered as trademarks. We shared search tips with examples.

During the Q&A session, we received very pointed questions not only about trademarks, but also about container and shutter designs (design rights) and locking systems (patents).

It was a time when I felt first-hand that awareness of intellectual property is increasing as the industry develops.

I am honored to be able to attend the social gathering and have deep conversations with everyone.

Thank you to everyone who participated and everyone at the Japan Rental Box Association!

If you are unsure about your brand or service name, please start by searching for "J-PlatPat" EVORIX #Trademark Registration #Design Registration #Business Risk #Management Seminar #JPlatPat