第98回水戸徳川家の商標

2017.04.27
弁理士、株式会社インターブックス顧問奥田百子

商標の登録が本家本元から異議を申し立てられた事件です。イベント会社(以下「商標権者」という)の登録商標(第5810969号、以下「登録商標」という)が水戸徳川家の家紋(三つ葉葵紋)に似ているとして、公益社団法人徳川ミュージアムから異議申立がされました。この事件は異議が認められ、商標の取り消し決定がされました。
商標権者の登録商標が水戸徳川家の家紋に似ているからです。似ているという事実、水戸徳川家の家紋が著名であることにより、この登録商標は出所混同を生じさせると判断されてしまいました。しかも商標権者が水戸に所在することも商標権者に不利に作用しました。水戸に所在するから、水戸徳川家の家紋を知らないはずはないというのです。
徳川家の家紋に近づけた商標を登録した、という不正の意図は、この家紋が著名であること、商標権者が水戸市に所在することから認定されました(異議2016-90059号)。
不正の意図は商標権者の内面の問題ですから、それを伺い知るには、商標権者の所在地や出所混同を生じさせる相手方商標の著名性など客観的事実から判断するしかありません。

Have you heard of any cases where trademark creators had their trademarks opposed? An event coordination company in Mito City (the trademark owner) registered a trademark numbered 5810969. However, later the Tokugawa Museum filed an objection to the trademark on the grounds that the registered trademark was similar to the family crest of the House of Mito Tokugawa, named Mitsuba-Aoi. The JPO acknowledged this objection and decided to invalidate the registered trademark because the trademark owner's registered trademark was similar to the family crest of the House of Mito Tokugawa.
The fact that the trademark was similar to the family crest of the House of Mito Tokugawa may have caused some confusion because the family crest is well known. Additionally, the fact that the event coordination company that owned the trademark rights was also located in Mito City was particularly disadvantageous, because the JPO judged that the company should have known about the Mito Tokugawa family crest.
Therefore, it was determined that they attempted to illegally register a trademark similar to the Tokugawa's family crest, based on the fact that this family crest is famous, and the trademark owner was located in Mito City (Opposition No. 2016-90059号).
If Illegal intentions exist in the minds of trademark owners it cannot be identified from the outside. Such intentions can only be judged from objective facts, such as the location of a trademark owner, the renown of the other party's trademark, the possibility for confusion etc.