Japan’s Meiji beefs up IP protection after popular snack copy; knock-off earphones based on long-selling Kinoko no Yama

Meiji Co. plans to enhance protection of its intellectual property in response to sales of imitation products based on its Kinoko no Yama snack, which resembles a chocolate-covered mushroom.

Meiji will take measures to prevent the production, sale and import of counterfeit goods, the company announced on Tuesday.

In March, Meiji released a set of wireless earbuds that resembled the Kinoko no Yama snack, which quickly sold out. The earbuds generated considerable buzz before their release, leading to counterfeit products being sold on online shopping malls in Japan and abroad.

The counterfeit products were made in China and Meiji appealed to customs authorities to block their import, based on the company’s trademark rights. The appeal was accepted in June.

Meiji also claimed that its rights had been violated by a confectioner in Saitama Prefecture who produced and sold a product similar to Kinoko no Yama called “Choco Kinoko.” Meiji allegedly entered into an agreement with the confectioner in March to stop making and selling the imitation products.

The Kinoko no Yama snack was first sold in 1975 and has remained popular ever since. In 1978, the name “Kinoko no Yama” was registered as a textual trademark, and the mushroom-like shape of the product was registered as a three-dimensional trademark in 2018.

“There is a growing awareness that intellectual property rights must be respected,” said Kazuhiko Ishimaru, head of Meiji’s IP department. “Enforcing our rights prevents the confusion caused by counterfeit products and protects our brand.”