Japanese discount retailer Daiso has won the right to use its name in the Philippines after a hearing in the Supreme Court.
In a final ruling just issued, the court has blocked Filipino company Japan Home Center from using the trademark Daiso, confirming an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeals.
The judges ruled that Japan Home Center had registered the name in “bad faith” in 2005 – largely to prevent the Japanese Daiso or its local franchisee from using it.
Daiso Industries of Japan first filed a complaint with the Intellectual Property Office back in 2009 after it appointed Robinsons Retail Holdings as its local distributor and retail partner. Daiso Industries owns the brand name.
This week’s Supreme Court decision thus ends a six year long legal battle to give Daiso and Robinson the legal right to use the brand.
Robinsons currently operates 38 Daison stores in the Philippines.
In another case in January this year, the Intellectual Property Office blocked MySmart One-Shop Daiso from using the brand name.