INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY / TOKYO FACES PROTEST
PHUSADEE ARUNMASThe Intellectual Property Department yesterday asked Tokyo to revoke trademarks on ''Rusie Dutton'' Thai traditional ''hermit'' yoga postures granted to a Japanese businessman earlier this year. The Japan Patent Office (JPO) approved the application for two trademarks on the Thai traditional exercise pattern to yoga business operator Masaki Furuya in February and March. These allow Mr Furuya to use the word ''Rusie Dutton'' and its pattern for commercial exploitation, including adverts in the media and a logo for his Thai yoga school in Japan.
Rusie Dutton'' is an ancient exercise posture, which focuses on the twisting and turning of the hands and body. Japanese patenting laws allow the public to oppose trademark registration within 60 days of the approval date.
''Monday is the deadline for a written objection to the first trademark for adverts in printed media and June 17 for the second trademark. We still have time to object to the trademark registrations,'' said Intellectual Property Department director-general Kanissorn Navanugraha.
Pennapa Subcharoen, deputy chief of the Department for Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, said the department had strong evidence to prove that the 108 ''hermit'' exercise postures belong to the Thai alternative medicine treatise. The evidence includes ''Rusie Dutton'' statues at Wat Po, poems, paintings and traditional medicine, containing information about the exercise.
By Bangkok Post On 27 May 2006