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Finnegan attorneys Naoki Yoshida and Chiaki Kobayashi examine emerging patterns in discretionary denial practices at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board under the Squires Administration, analyzing their impact on corporate intellectual property strategy and practice. This article, published in the Japan Intellectual Property Association's journal, explores how recent administrative changes are reshaping PTAB proceedings and what corporate practitioners need to know to adapt their IP management approaches.

Japanese police have arrested an alleged first uploader on Nyaa, the torrent index at the heart of anime piracy, marking a strategic shift from blocking sites to targeting source distributors. Using attribution tools developed under CODA's Cross-Border Enforcement Project, investigators identified and detained a Kanagawa resident suspected of seeding an NHK drama and numerous other works. This case signals a new enforcement approach focused on chokepoints in the distribution chain rather than endless domain

Japan's Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act amendments, promulgated in June 2026, introduce significant changes to foreign direct investment screening procedures. These modifications expand regulatory oversight to include indirect acquisitions, mandate reporting of risk mitigation measures, and grant authorities enhanced powers to address national security concerns even after transactions are completed.