Our Professionals
Yoshiyuki KAJI 梶 良之 Patent Attorney
Founder and Managing Partner
| Technical Specialty | Mechanics |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Suits against trial decisions; Invalidation trials; Infringement lawsuits; Technical analysis and advice |
| Experience and Qualifications | After earning a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Osaka University, Mr. Kaji designed industrial machinery at a steel production company. Mr. Kaji started his career in IP when he was transferred to the IP department of the same company, where he handled patent applications inside and outside Japan and a number of patent litigations in the US. He became a registered attorney in 1982 and founded the Kaji Patent Law Firm in 1988. He was granted the Supplementary Note of Specific Infringement Lawsuit Counsel in 2004. Mr. Kaji is also a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys’ Association, Kansai Tokkyo Kenkyukai, Licensing Executives Society Japan, Japan Intellectual Property Association, and The Asian Patent Attorneys’ Association. |
Makoto SUHARA 須原 誠 Patent Attorney
Managing Partner
| Technical Specialty | Electricity and Electronics |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patents and industrial designs; Suits against trial decision; Invalidation trials; Technical analysis and advice |
| Experience and Qualifications | After graduating from Tohoku University where he majored in Physics, Mr. Suhara worked in the development department of a manufacturing company. He began working at a patent law firm in 1990 and became a registered attorney in 1993. Mr. Suhara joined us and became a managing partner in 1998. |
"Profession"
A patent attorney is more than a “professional”, being a patent attorney is a “profession”. This was the advice given to me by a senior patent attorney at the beginning of my career as a registered attorney. Although I was unfamiliar with the concept of “profession” at the time, I have always remembered these
words. Many things have changed over time, making it difficult for many patent attorneys to remember the meaning of their “profession”. Nonetheless, I remain determined to fulfill my duties as a patent attorney and always remember the true meaning of my “profession”.
words. Many things have changed over time, making it difficult for many patent attorneys to remember the meaning of their “profession”. Nonetheless, I remain determined to fulfill my duties as a patent attorney and always remember the true meaning of my “profession”.
Tetsuya IKKAKU 一角 哲也 Patent Attorney
Junior Partner
| Technical Specialty | Mechanics |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patents and industrial designs; Technical analysis and advice |
| Experience and Qualifications | After earning a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Osaka University, Mr. Ikkaku worked as a water treatment plant engineer with a steel production company. He joined us in 2006 and became a registered attorney the same year. Mr. Ikkaku also became a registered professional engineer (Jp) (water supply & sewage) in 2007, and was granted the Supplementary Note of Specific Infringement Lawsuit Counsel in 2010. |
Risa WAKAMA 若間 理佐 Patent Attorney
| Technical Specialty | Chemistry |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patents, industrial designs, and trademarks |
| Experience and Qualifications | Ms. Wakama joined us in 2006 after earning a Master’s degree in Material Science and Engineering from Osaka Prefecture University. She became a registered attorney in 2007. |
Miho KAMIOKA 上岡 美穂 Patent Attorney
| Technical Specialty | Mechanics |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patents and industrial designs |
| Experience and Qualifications | After graduating from Kobe University where she majored in Architecture and Civil Engineering, Ms. Kamioka worked as a landscape designer at a landscape design company. She joined us in 2006 and became a registered attorney in 2007. |
Masahiro TSUJI 辻 政宏 Patent Attorney
| Technical Specialty | Mechanics |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patents and industrial designs; Technical analysis and advice |
| Experience and Qualifications | After earning a Master’s degree in Engineering from Kyoto University, Mr. Tsuji worked in environmental assessment at a construction consultation company. He then worked at an automotive company in crash safety simulation technology development. Mr. Tsuji became a registered attorney in 2010, and joined us in 2013 after working at a competing IP law firm. He was granted the Supplementary Note of Specific Infringement LawsuitCounsel in 2013. |
Yoshihiro HOSOI 細井 義博 Patent Attorney
| Technical Specialty | Mechanics |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patents and industrial designs |
| Experience and Qualifications | After graduating from the Department of Systems Science in the School/Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Mr. Hosoi joined us in 2008. He became a registered patent attorney in 2011. |
Kazuhiro UCHIDA 内田 和宏 Patent Attorney
| Technical Specialty | Electricity and Electronics |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patent applications |
| Experience and Qualifications | After earning a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Osaka Prefecture University, Mr. Uchida worked in research and development for an electric appliance manufacturer. He joined us in 2004 and became a registered attorney in 2012. |
Masaki SAITO 齊藤 正樹 Patent Attorney
| Technical Specialty | Mechanics |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patents and industrial designs |
| Experience and Qualifications | After graduating from the Department of applied physics, Graduate School of Engineering/Faculty of Engineering, in the University of Tokyo, Mr. Saito as an engineer had engaged with development LCD technologies in an Electronic appliance company. He joined us in 2016, and became a registered attorney in the same year. |
Yukiko TAZOE 田添 由紀子 Patent Attorney
| Technical Specialty | Chemistry |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patents |
| Experience and Qualifications | After graduating from Faculty of Agriculture Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences in Kyushu University, where she majored agricultural chemistry, Ms. Tazoe worked at a chemical and medical device manufacturer. She also worked in an IP research firm and other IP law firms, before joining us in 2019. She was registered as a patent attorney in 2013. |
Tokyo Office
Rumi ICHIKAWA 市川 ルミ Patent Attorney
the Head of Tokyo Office
| Technical Specialty | Electricity and Electronics |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patents and industrial designs; Suits against trial decision; Technical analysis and advice; Copyright consultation |
| Experience and Qualifications | After graduating from Waseda University where she majored in Electrical Engineering, Ms. Ichikawa worked as a consultant for a foreign computer company and business consulting company. She became a registered attorney in 2001, joined us in 2002 and opened our Tokyo Office the same year. Ms. Ichikawa has been a temporary committee member of JPO industrial property council from 2015 to 2016, an executive director of the Japanese Patent Attorney Association from 2016, etc. |
Kinuyo ARASHI 嵐 絹代 Patent Attorney
Tokyo Office
| Technical Specialty | Mechanics |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patents and industrial designs |
| Experience and Qualifications | After earning a Master’s degree in Construction Engineering from Kobe University, Ms. Arashi studied abroad and participated in an internship program. She joined us in 2001 and became a registered attorney in 2009. In 2001, Ms. Arashi received her grade pre-1 Japanese English proficiency certification from “STEP” (“Eiken”). |
Masashi MIZUTA 水田 正志
Tokyo Office
| Technical Specialty | Electric and Electronics (Materials, Devices) |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Advisor, Doctor of Engineering |
| Experience and Qualifications | After acquiring his doctor degree at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Doctor of Engineering), Mr. Mizuta mainly engaged in studies of semiconductor devices and materials as an assistant professor of Engineering at the University of Tokyo Institute of Technology, as a researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and at a research institute of an electric company. Mr. Mizuta was then engaged in development and manufacturing of devices at a semiconductor company, and a machinery and metal manufacturer. His career also include a director of a research institute at an electric manufacturing company, where he proposed IP strategies, and also a member of the IP-Examination Committee at Japan Science and Technology Agency. |
Sapporo Office
Takahiko TOMITA 富田 尊彦 Patent Attorney
the Head of Sapporo Tomita Office
| Technical Specialty | Electricity and Electronics |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patents, industrial designs, and trademarks; Seminars and consultation on intellectual property; Technical analysis and advice |
| Experience and Qualifications | Mr. Tomita joined us in 2004 after earning a Master’s degree in Physics from Hokkaido University and became a registered attorney in 2007. That same year, he opened our Sapporo Tomita office in Hokkaido. Mr. Tomita has been a vicechairman of the Hokkaido Branch of the Japan Patent Attorneys’ Association from 2012 to 2014. He also serves as a parttime lecturer at national university corporations in Hokkaido. |
Eriko FUJIKAWA 藤川 江梨子 Patent Attorney
Sapporo Tomita Office
| Technical Specialty | Chemistry, Biotechnology |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Prosecution of domestic and international patents and trademarks |
| Experience and Qualifications | After earning her Master’s degree in Agriculture from Hokkaido University, Ms. Fujikawa worked at a municipality. She became a registered attorney in 2013, and joined us in the same year. |
Kazufumi KIMURA 木村 和史
Senior Patent Engineer
| Technical Specialty | Mechanics, Electricity and Electronics, Gaming Machines |
|---|---|
| Practice Areas | Assisting prosecution of domestic and international patents |
| Experience and Qualifications | After graduating from Doshisha University Faculty of Science and Engineering, Mr. Kimura started to work at an R & D department of a manufacturer in 1988. He joined Kaji, Suhara & Associates in 1994. |
金 龍柱Yong Ju KIM 金 龍柱
Korean Patent Attorney: Advisor
| Experience and Qualifications | After graduating from Konkuk University in South Korea where he majored in Electric Engineering, Mr. Kim came to Japan to study electronic engineering at Kobe University. After earning his doctorate, also at Kobe University, he worked as a researcher at Samsung’s Production Technology Center. Mr. Kim also has experience as an examiner at the Korea Patent Office, 4th Examination Bureau, Electronics Department, and received a prize from the Power & Electronics Association of Korea in 2002. Mr. Kim currently runs an IP law firm in South Korea. |
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Inexhaustible Passion
account, we dedicate our inexhaustible passion to the following mission: to respond swiftly to these changes and adapt to new realities by offering our clients swift, high-quality service guided by the same spirit and ideals as when our firm was first founded.