Japan’s move to protect geographical brands in China and its implication to Korea
In this regard, interviews with experts at reputable private organizations and universities including Japan Intellectual Property Association, Intellectual Property Management Center of Kyushu University and Office of Intellectual Property of Waseda University will broaden my horizon by supplying thoughtful views.
On the similar context, books and magazines will be valuably utilized for the purpose of a preparatory research.
Japan’s move to protect geographical brands in China and its implication to Korea
In doing so, I can clearly recognize the beginning and developments of the various disputes. This on-site coverage will also give me better understanding of Japanese government’s subsequent actions to protect its geographical brands in China.
Secondly, I’ve been arranging meetings with officials at Japanese government and governmental agencies to apprehend the background of guideline issuance. Interviews with professionals at the international affairs division of the JPO and JETRO(Japan External Trade Organization) will allow me to draw an overall picture of the past, present and future of Japanese government’s stance on this controversial issue.
Japan’s move to protect geographical brands in China and its implication to Korea
I’ve been planning schedules to sites where geographical brands are born and to see what has happened in relation to China. Kagoshima Prefecture and its geographical brands including 県シンボルマーク, かごしまの農林水産物認証マーク, かごしまブランドマーク, かごしま黒豚証明書, さつま地鶏 and 薩摩 are one example.
For this, I’ve been hosting interviews with involved sections at chambers of commerce and industry of 4 prefectures. Leaders of local communities and officials at the industrial policy section of local governments would be contacted, too.
Japan’s move to protect geographical brands in China and its implication to Korea
In terms of methodology, on-site visits and expert interviews are two pillars of my research. First of all, throughout mid September to mid October of 2013, I will pay a visit to 4 Japanese prefectures among 9 prefectures mentioned above.
Specifically, I will visit Aomori Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, Fukuoka Prefecture and Kagoshima Prefecture where geographical brands of each prefecture have been broadly known even outside Japan.
Japan’s move to protect geographical brands in China and its implication to Korea
Though failing to react in advance, Japanese central and local governments have responded in a proper way. They did take relevant steps after disputes over misuse of Japanese geographical brands in China were reported. They actively applied for trademarks in China and introduced guidelines domestically to protect geographical brands from further damage.
Such a move means a lot to Korean government as similar conflicts are expected to be wired between Korea and China in the near future. The concept of my project is born in this sense with special emphasis on timely and untouched research.
Japan’s move to protect geographical brands in China and its implication to Korea
It is mainly because Japan’s exports of brand farm products could be adversely affected if Japanese geographical product and brand names are registered as Chinese trademarks.
So far a total of 9 Japanese prefectures, Aomori Prefecture(靑森県), Hokkaido Prefecture(北海県), Yamanashi Prefecture(山梨県), Shiga Prefecture(滋賀県), Wakayama Prefecture(和歌山県), Fukuoka Prefecture(福岡県), Saga Prefecture(佐賀県), Nagasaki Prefecture(長崎県) and Kagoshima Prefecture (鹿児島県) have successfully taken actions to register their trademarks in China.
Japan’s move to protect geographical brands in China and its implication to Korea
According to the Japan Patent Office(JPO), actual public notices were given or registrations were made on the basis of applications of third parties in China for 6 Japanese prefectures, Toyama Prefecture(富山県), Fukui Prefecture(福井県), Aichi Prefecture(愛知県), Yamaguchi Prefecture(山口県), Kagawa Prefecture(香川県) and Saga Prefecture(佐賀県).
Against this background, Japanese government has accelerated its move in two folds since late 2000’s; applying for trademarks in China and coming up with guidelines for related parties in Japan.
Japan’s move to preserve geographical brands in China and its implication to Korea
In fact, it has been alleged that many Chinese have illicitly trademarked or tried to trademark the names of famous Japanese places, names and local specialties in recent years.
Long-lasted disputes and subsequent legal suits over Kagawa Prefecture(香川県)’s Sanuki Udon(讃岐うどん) between Japan’s Kabashima Shouji(樺島商事) and Taiwan’s Namchow Group are none other than a representative example.
Japan’s move to preserve geographical brands in China and its implication to Korea
More cases have been noticed in the corporate sector. However, conflicts in the public sector are no less serious. That could explain why Japanese central and local governments have been eager to protect Japanese geographical brands in China.
Japan’s move to preserve geographical brands in China and its implication to Korea
It is between Japan and China where disputes over the intellectual property rights arise most in Northeast Asia. The fact that Japan is still leading this area and China has been rapidly raising its clout lies in this phenomenon.
As an emerging economy, China has tended to learn lessons from Japan, the most advanced economy in this region in a quick and simple way sometimes without due payment. Such aggressive drives time to time led to undesirable results accompanied by huge controversy and conflict.
Japan’s move to preserve geographical brands in China and its implication to Korea
Troubles are widely found in both private and public sectors. Especially, cases regarding the intellectual property rights are often being heard recently. This is no wonder in a time when the significance of the intangible assets is getting unprecedentedly highlighted as a key source of national competitiveness.
For example, a company files a suit against its rivals in neighboring countries in charge of severe copyright infringement. A governmental agency is also embarrassed to catch its publications have been openly used in another country without legitimate process of offer and acceptance.
Japan’s move to preserve geographical brands in China and its implication to Korea
As the wave of globalization is getting bigger and bigger, national economies also impact to each other more frequently. Thus, snowballing international disputes are reported here and there in the international stage.
This is no exception in Northeast Asia. In fact, growing number of cross-border conflicts have been observed in this region. It is mainly because Japan, Korea and China have not only cooperative partnership but also competitive relationship.
Strategy is in Knowledge Management
That’s why companies are strongly pushed to carefully look at the outer circumstances and utilize their own resources at the maximum level. As showed above, Mando Corporation is one of the best role models for strategic management. Undoubtedly, as a strategic concern, knowledge management resurrected a dishonored company into a highly promising star.
As Mr. Oh indicated, without knowledge management, Mando may already have been liquidated. In this point of view, lessons from the story of Mando insist that strategic management should be spread into every single parts of an organization.
Strategy is in Knowledge Management
Tacit knowledge such as craft and know-how, explicit knowledge such as manuals and management system exchanged with each other harmoniously and created a virtuous circle of ever–advancing knowledge management system of Mando. In short, strategic decision of realizing knowledge management incredibly worked well and finally bore the fruit of the rebirth of a deadly-ill company.
It is not too much to say that strategic management will draw more and more attention from all types of organizations in the future. Definition of strategy can be differed from one company to another. However, nobody argues that only the firm establishment of strategic management can guarantee the survival of any given organization.
Strategy is in Knowledge Management
- Verifying Resources: To the eyes of the top management, people in Mando were the most valuable and rare resources to overcome the dark era and to attain the sustainable competitive advantage. In that Mando's employees had always been highly observed and evaluated in the market, human capital were also turned out to be non-substitutable.
- Managing Resources: Now the question is how to manage and systemize the tacit knowledge of the people. At this point, Mando introduced the concept of knowledge management. Adopting and establishing knowledge management throughout the organization, Mando succeeded in developing new technology and bridging partners all over the world in the most efficient way.
