1. In brief On May 16, 2024, the Tokyo District Court issued a judgment in relation to a case as to whether “AI” could be recognized as an “inventor” of a patent. The judgment indicated that it is reasonable to conclude that an “inventor” under the Patent Act is limited to natural persons in light of the intellectual property laws and other laws in Japan. 2. Background 2.1 The patent application and inventor identified in…
Upcoming amendments to the Japanese Telecommunications Business Act are intended to bring more foreign companies within the scope of the Act. This will lead to more foreign entities in the telecommunications space having to take measures with the competent Japanese authorities, and have certain new specific obligations imposed upon them, such as the obligation to report serious incidents, and keep user communications secret. Application of the Telecommunications Business Act to foreign corporations On February 28,…