Max Planck Series on Asian Intellectual Property Law Volume 18Indisputably, Japan is today a major hub of product design, and designs made in Japan play an influential role in the world across a wide range of industries. This is the first and only book in English to provide a detailed overview and discussion of product design protection and practice under Japanese law. In addition to expert analysis of the application of design law by Japanese courts and the Japan Patent Office (including the far-reaching 2020 amendments), the book features seven contributions by Japanese product designers from specific industries who describe the product design process in their industry and its legal ramifications worldwide.With in-depth description and analysis and many detailed explanatory figures and tables, the contributors cover such issues and topics as the following: ownership of design rights;requirements for design protection;application process for design registration;examination procedure