Vietnam - Japan cooperate to protect intellectual property rights

Vietnamese officials have called on Japan to continue its support to Vietnam in protecting and enforcing intellectual property (IP) rights, making IP a driving force for economic development, the “Vietnam-Japan IP protection seminar”, held by the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) on February 28, heard.

Japan’s Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam Shige Watanabe expressed a hope that measures against counterfeit goods will be rolled out appropriately in Vietnam, legitimately protecting IP rights and improving its business environment.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Deputy Head of the Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance, pointed to the prevalence of counterfeit goods, those infringing upon IP rights, and goods of unknown origin in Vietnam, with over 9,000 such cases handled last year.

He stressed that there are obstacles to the fight against counterfeit goods, like overlapping law enforcement mechanisms and the loose coordination between agencies. “Fighting against the production and sale of counterfeit goods and infringement of IP rights is an extremely difficult, complex, and long-term task, requiring the efforts of all levels, sectors, and functional forces, and the active participation of the entire society,” he added.

Citing the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 319/QD-TTg dated March 29, 2023 approving a project on fighting counterfeit goods and protecting consumers in e-commerce by 2025, the official said market surveillance force will step up inspections over online business in the time ahead.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Le, Deputy Director of the Department of Operations at the Directorate of Market Surveillance (DMS) said the DMS force has determined that fighting and preventing counterfeit goods and goods infringing upon IP rights is an important and thorough task.

He recommended that Japanese businesses with products selling in the Vietnamese market increase coordination, provide information, and appoint legal representatives to support the inspection and handling of violations by the DMS.

In recent times, the DMS has drastically and synchronously deployed solutions such as propaganda, improving enforcement capacity, strengthening coordination, and market control.

Mr. Nguyen Nhu Quynh, Chief Inspector at the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), suggested that Japan further its support to Vietnam in socio-economic development and IP protection.

On this occasion, six Japanese companies - ASICS, Kikkoman, Kubota, Kokuyo, Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare, and Panasonic - shared more about the formation and development process of their brands as well as the situation of IP rights violations by brands on the market today.

At the same time, brands also wish to cooperate with relevant forces in Vietnam in preventing, combating, and handling issues related to counterfeit Japanese products in the Vietnamese market.