Dubai Customs and Japanese officials explore joint IPR protection measures

Following an invitation extended to Dubai Customs, Dubai Police and Emirates Intellectual Property Association (EIPA) by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), officials from Dubai Customs took part in a joint visit to Japan. Dubai Customs’ delegation comprised Yousuf Ozair Mubarak, IPR Director, and Faisal Eissa Lutfi, Acting External Relations Director.

The delegation toured around Japanese cities, starting from Tokyo and passing through major cities such as Nagoya, Osaka and Kyoto. They visited Japan Customs where they got briefed about adopted techniques for seizing counterfeits in express mail. They were also introduced to the processes and hi-tech systems implemented by the Operations and e-Clearance Office to facilitate customs procedures.

Stopping at the Tokyo Customs Museum,  the delegation toured  the Counterfeits Section at the museum. Later, they held a meeting with the International Intellectual Property Protection Forum to discuss common prospects of cooperation and coordination.

Meeting with major Japanese trademark owners, namely Sony, Hitachi and Toyota, was productive, as the delegation explored state-of-the-art technologies used in manufacturing electronics and discussed IP protection measures. 

The delegation visited Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, where Mr Mubarak presented to Japanese officials Dubai Customs’ IPR protection experience and its vital role in deterring the smuggling of counterfeits into the country. “Cooperation with Japanese companies in this domain has paid off. In 2014 alone, Dubai Customs’ trademark protection efforts involved 14 Japanese trademarks, making Japan one of the top five beneficiaries of DC’s fight against counterfeiting,” Mubarak said, pointing out to Dubai Customs’ strive to join hands with businesses from around the world in facing the global scourge of piracy and counterfeiting.

“To ensure the provision of best customs facilities to traders and businesses from all countries, Dubai Customs seeks to network with foreign business councils, as part of Irtibat, an initiative launched by Dubai Customs to nurture closer ties with foreign business communities,” Mubarak added.

Faisal Eissa Lutfi, on the other hand, said: “Our visit to Japan was aimed at enhancing cooperation and exploring joint IPR protection actions to optimize trade between Dubai and Japan. In fact, Japan comes eighth among Dubai’s trading partners, with two-way trade in the first nine months of 2014 amounting to AED 31 billion - AED 29.87 billion imports, AED 992 million exports and AED 354 million re-exports.”