Yamanashi gov't to protest registration of local wine trademark in China

KOFU -- The Yamanashi Prefectural Government is going to file a protest against the registration in China of a trademark using the name of the famous wine-producing district Katsunuma, claiming it will negatively affect the export of its wines, it's been learned.

The prefecture's industrial promotion division said on Tuesday that a person in Shanghai applied for the registration of "Yamanashi Katsunuma" as a trademark for alcoholic drinks in October 2006, and that China's Trademark Office under the State Administration for Industry and Commerce would publish it on its official Web site from April 20.

Trademarks can be registered in China if there are no objections against them within three months after publication of the applications.

Wine manufacturers in Yamanashi Prefecture are slated to launch full-scale exports of their products to London and other overseas markets from next fiscal year. "We will have difficulties exporting our wines to China (and other countries) in the future if we can't use the name 'Katsunuma,' " said the Governor's Policy Planning Bureau of the prefecture.