Masashi Moriwaki
Managing Patent and Trademark Attorney
Masashi Moriwaki is a Japanese patent and trademark attorney focusing on patent matters in the fields of semiconductors, electrical and electronic engineering, software, and industrial materials. He handles domestic and international patent prosecution, patentability and infringement-related analysis, and intellectual property strategy.
Before establishing his own firm, he worked in the intellectual property department of a major electrical manufacturer, where he was responsible for patent procurement relating to semiconductor process and device technologies. His work also included inventor-focused IP awareness and brainstorming programs intended to support the generation and protection of valuable inventions.
He also served for many years as a Technical Adviser in intellectual property litigation, assigned to the Tokyo High Court, Tokyo District Court, and Osaka District Court, and has been involved in patent practice with an eye toward enforcement and dispute resolution.
He graduated from the Nagoya Institute of Technology and completed a master’s course in Electronic Systems at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.
Qualifications
| 2000 | Registered as a Patent Attorney in Japan (Registration No. 11704) |
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| 2005 | Obtained additional registration for representation in specific infringement litigation |
Memberships
Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA), Kyoto Institute of Invention and Innovation, Licensing Executives Society Japan (LES Japan), American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), The Tokyo Intellectual Property American Inn of Court (Tokyo IP Inn)
Other professional associations include APAA, FICPI, and AIPPI.
Main Practice Areas
- Electrical and electronics: semiconductor devices, manufacturing processes, electronic circuits, and related technologies
- Information and communications: software-related inventions, systems, and network-related technologies
- Chemistry and materials: resins, chemicals, industrial materials, and related processes
His core technical background is in semiconductor physics, electronic circuits, and crystal engineering. In practice, he has continuously handled inventions relating to semiconductor devices and manufacturing processes, as well as electronic circuits, software-related technologies, and industrial materials. Drawing on his experience in a corporate intellectual property department, he advises not only on patent filing and prosecution, but also on invention harvesting and intellectual property strategy.
Selected Career Highlights
| 2002 | Established Moriwaki Patent Office (Kyoto Office) |
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| 2008–2010 | Technical Adviser in intellectual property litigation, assigned to the Tokyo High Court, Tokyo District Court, and Osaka District Court |
| 2013–2016 | Lecturer in intellectual property law at Ritsumeikan University (English-language class for international students in the Faculty of Science and Engineering) |
| 2014–2022 | Technical Adviser in intellectual property litigation, reappointed to the Tokyo High Court, Tokyo District Court, and Osaka District Court |
| 2018 | Participated in SCP/28 and SCP/29 of WIPO as a representative of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association |
Professional and Public Activities
- Member, International Policy Research Division, International Activities Center, Japan Patent Attorneys Association
- Researcher, Center for Intellectual Property Studies, Japan Patent Attorneys Association
- Operating Committee Member, Kansai Branch of the Japan Intellectual Property Arbitration Center
- Former committee member of the Copyright Committee, Software Committee, and ADR-related bodies of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association
Publications and Seminars
He has published research papers in the field of applied physics and has written and lectured on patent practice and intellectual property law. His experience also includes co-authored publications and presentations at seminars and workshops.
Advisory and External Activities
He has served as an IP consultation adviser for the Japan Patent Attorneys Association and the Kyoto Institute of Invention and Innovation, and has experience providing training, seminars, brainstorming sessions, and intellectual property strategy consulting for corporate IP personnel, engineers, and management teams.
Examples of matters handled by him and the firm can be found here.
Blog
For additional background, please see his LinkedIn profile.