Tokyo, 22 October 2025: ERIA, in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat, the Asia Crime Prevention Foundation, the Japan–ASEAN Integration Fund, and Japan’s Ministry of Justice, co-organised the ASEAN–Japan Good Practice Seminar on Intellectual Property 2025 in Tokyo on 22 October 2025.

The seminar provided a platform for sharing good practices, exchanging experiences, and strengthening networks amongst judges, intellectual property (IP) officers, and practitioners across ASEAN and Japan.

Southeast Asia’s digital marketplace continues to expand at an unprecedented pace. In 2023, the region’s eight largest platforms generated more than US$114 billion in sales. While this growth creates new opportunities, it has also intensified the spread of counterfeit goods through complex, cross-border supply chains that are increasingly difficult to monitor. This challenge underscores the need for deeper ASEAN–Japan cooperation and sustained regional dialogue to enhance IP enforcement.

Building on the success of last year’s seminar held in Jakarta (5–6 December 2024), the 2025 edition focused on enforcing IP rights against counterfeit goods in e-commerce, addressing the growing threat of online counterfeiting to consumer trust, safety, and innovation value.

Opening Remarks by ERIA

On behalf of ERIA, Mr Yoshitaka Watanabe, Manager of Legal Policy, delivered the opening remarks. He emphasised that the seminar aligns closely with ASEAN’s forward-looking agenda on IP cooperation, including the forthcoming ASEAN IPR Action Plan 2026–2030 and the ongoing negotiations toward the upgraded ASEAN Framework Agreement on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AFAIPC 2.0).

Mr Watanabe highlighted that sharing good practices in anti-counterfeiting directly supports these regional frameworks and contributes to building a more robust and modern IP ecosystem in ASEAN. He also introduced ERIA’s ongoing initiatives on IP, such as the Semiconductor Supply Chains and IP Project, which was endorsed at the 76th AWGIPC meeting. He reaffirmed ERIA’s commitment to helping ASEAN strengthen IP protection in the digital era while promoting broader cooperation in innovation, sustainable growth, and the circular economy.

Session One: Trademark Infringement and Litigation in E-Commerce

The first session examined trials and trademark infringement litigation, focusing on complex legal issues arising from e-commerce activities. Moderated by Mr Takamitsu Shigetomi, Partner at Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners, the session featured judges from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand, who shared national perspectives and judicial experiences.

Discussions explored how trademark owners pursue legal action against infringers operating across jurisdictions and how countries address issues related to governing law, jurisdiction, and the territorial nature of IP rights. The session also analysed cases of online counterfeiting by domestic and foreign entities, and how trademark owners may engage e-commerce platforms in enforcement efforts.

Session Two: National Experiences in Online Trademark Enforcement

The second session, moderated by Mr Makoto Hattori, Partner at Abe, Ikubo & Katayama, focused on trademark enforcement and gathered representatives from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Viet Nam, Timor-Leste, and Japan. Participants presented their national experiences in tackling online trademark infringement, including notice-and-takedown procedures, safe-harbour provisions, platform-operator responsibilities, and public–private partnership initiatives.

The session concluded with a panel discussion highlighting ASEAN’s diverse yet converging approaches to IP enforcement. Speakers presented national initiatives to strengthen border controls, develop intermediary liability frameworks, and enhance cooperation amongst public authorities, right holders, and digital platforms. Several also shared ongoing legal and institutional reforms to boost consumer protection and curb online counterfeiting.

Through this seminar, participants deepened their understanding of emerging IP enforcement issues and reaffirmed their shared commitment to collective action. ERIA reiterated its support for ASEAN–Japan cooperation on IP enforcement as part of its broader mission to foster innovation, fair trade, and sustainable economic growth across the region.