IV. CUSTOMS CONTROLS AGAINST GOODSINFRINGING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Goods infringing intellectual property rights are specified as articles prohibited from importor export under Article 69-2 and Article 69-11 of the Customs Act and are regulated byCustoms at the border. When the goods are found to be infringing intellectual property rights,
they are confiscated by Customs and the relevant person may be punished in some cases
under Article 109 or other provisions of the Customs Act.

1. Import Suspensions Regarding Goods Infringing IntellectualProperty Rights(1) Transition in import suspensions (20201)
The number of import suspensions by Customs regarding goods infringing intellectual
property rights was 30,305 cases (up by 26.6% from the previous year), exceeding
30,000 cases for the first time in three years and thus maintaining a high level. The
number of articles suspended from import was 589,219 (down by 42.2% (id.)).
Transition in import suspensions regarding goods infringing intellectual property rights
Number of cases (cases)

Number of goods (10,000 pieces)

Number of cases

Number of goods

35,000140
30,62730,30530,000120109.7
26,03426,00523,93425,00023,233

101.9
100

93.0

20,00080
63.1

15,00062.3

13,467

58.9

60

50.7

10,000

40

5,000

2000
2005

2010

2016

20172018

2019

2020

(Note) The "number of cases" refers to the number of import declarations or postal items that included goods infringing
intellectual property rights whose import was prohibited by Customs. The "number of goods" means the number ofgoods infringing intellectual property rights whose import was prohibited by Customs.
1Japan Customs' Website: https://www.customs.go.jp/mizugiwa/chiteki/pages/g_001.htm

(2) Import suspensions by source
The number of import suspensions remains at a high level, with imports from China
being the largest (25,828 cases; composition ratio: 85.2% [up by 30.4% from the previousyear]). The number of goods suspended from import was also the largest for those from
China (410,405 pieces; composition ratio: 69.7% [down by 31.1% (id.)]). China's
composition ratios remain to be high both in terms of the number of cases and the numberof articles.
Composition ratio of import suspensions by source (2020)(Based on the number of cases)
SouthHong Kong Korea
Philippines 1.5%
1.3%
2.1%
Singapore
2.8%

Others2.5%

Vietnam
4.5%

China
85.2%

(Based on the number of pieces)

Philippines
Vietnam 2.8%
4.9%SouthKorea
7.8%

Taiwan2.3%

Others2.8%

Hong Kong
9.9%

China
69.7%

(Note) The total of composition ratios may not be 100% due to rounding.

(3) Import suspensions by item
The number of import suspensions was the largest for bags, such as wallets andhandbags, at 9,931 cases (composition ratio: 29.2%; up by 3.0% from the previous year),and the number of articles suspended from import was the largest for clothes at 67,582
pieces (composition ratio: 11.5%; up by 38.1% (id.)).
Composition ratio of import suspensions by source (2020)(Based on the number of cases)(Based on the number of articles)

Belts
3.9%
Others
14.0%

Hats
3.9%
Mobilephones andaccessories
4.3%

Watches
11.9%

Others
34.3%

Bags
29.2%

Clothes
27.0%

Mobilephones andaccessories
3.4%

Clothes
11.5% Electric appliances
11.0%
Paper products
8.1%
Bags
7.1%

Fabricproducts
4.0%

Cosmetics
CDs and4.0%DVDs(Note) The total of composition ratios may not be 100% due to rounding.
4.6%

Computerproducts
7.3%
Automobile
accessories
4.8%

(4) Major import suspensions regarding goods infringing intellectual property rights◆ Goods often subject to import suspensions
Earphones (Design right)

Grip stand for smartphones, etc.
(Patent right)◆ Goods for which import suspensions increased in 2020
Watches (Trademark right)

DVDs (Copyright)）◆ Goods posing a risk to people's health and safety
Masks (Trademark right)

Motorcycle carburetors(Trademark right)

2. Accusation Case Related to Goods Infringing Intellectual
Property Rights
Customs made accusations in a total of 10 smuggling cases of DVDs in which images of"Kimetsu no Yaiba" infringing copyrights are recorded, during the one-year period fromJanuary to December of 2020.
[Case 1] Smuggling of goods infringing copyrights
Customs
attempted

accusedtoasmuggle

Japanese600

nationalDVDs

whoinfringing

copyrights by use of air cargo from Malaysia ofviolating the Customs Act.
(Dec. 2020; Yokohama Customs)[Case 2] Smuggling of goods infringing trademark rightsCustoms

accusedaJapanesenational who attempted to illicitly import
60neckwarmers

infringing

trademark rights and to smuggle 247
masks,etc.

infringing

trademarkrights by the use of international mailfrom China of violating the Customs Act.
(Dec. 2020; Hakodate Customs)[Case 3] Smuggling of goods infringing trademark rights
Customs accused a Japanese national
who attempted to smuggle 56 medals
infringing trademark rights by the use of
express small-lot air cargo from China ofviolating the Customs Act.
(Aug. 2020; Tokyo Customs)