Uniqlo Sues E-commerce Site 'SHEIN' for Alleged Sale of Counterfeit Products

TOKYO, Jan 18 (News On Japan) - Uniqlo has filed a lawsuit against three companies, including the operator of the Chinese fashion e-commerce site SHEIN, in the Tokyo District Court for selling counterfeit shoulder bags.

The company is seeking an injunction to halt sales and approximately 160 million yen in damages. Uniqlo alleges that the shoulder bags sold on SHEIN are imitations of its "Round Mini Shoulder Bag," infringing on the Unfair Competition Prevention Act.

According to Uniqlo, even if the colors and patterns differ, the shape of the bag's body and strap closely resembles their product. The company argues that this significantly undermines the high trust in their brand and product quality, hence demanding a halt to the sales of the said items and seeking approximately 160 million yen in damages.

The company became aware of the SHEIN products in question by September last year and had posted warnings to consumers on its website. This is the first time the company has taken legal action against the sale of counterfeit goods in Japan, and Fast Retailing, which operates Uniqlo, commented, "We will continue to take appropriate measures, including legal action, against any infringement of our group's intellectual property."

SHEIN SHEIN is a fashion brand headquartered in Singapore, founded in China in 2008, and sells clothing outside of China. Unlike other fast fashion brands, SHEIN operates an online retail business without physical stores and, according to the company's website, sells products in over 150 countries worldwide. By utilizing small and medium-sized apparel factories in southern China, such as Guangdong Province, the company sells low-priced goods and has garnered support from young women in foreign markets, including the United States.

SHEIN launched a Japanese website in December 2020 and established a permanent showroom in Harajuku, Tokyo, in November of the previous year. With the proliferation of online shopping and a surge in app downloads worldwide, the company has significantly increased its sales. Foreign media report that from January to September of last year, SHEIN's sales reached $24 billion, or approximately 3.5 trillion yen.

by Brian Dentry

Source: NHK

Himeji Castle Hikes Admission Fee for Non-Residents

The admission fee for the World Heritage-listed Himeji Castle in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, was revised on March 1st for the first time in 11 years, introducing a dual pricing system that significantly raises costs for visitors from outside the city.

Avalanche Strikes Nagano-Niigata Ski Resort, Four Injured

An avalanche struck an advanced-level course at Madarao Kogen Ski Resort, which spans Niigata and Nagano prefectures, on February 28th, leaving four people injured, including two family members.

Australian Girl, 8, Dies After Snowmobile Overturns in Hakuba

An eight-year-old Australian girl died after a snowmobile overturned in Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture, at around 11 a.m. on February 28th, with authorities investigating the cause of the accident.

Major Maglev Excavation Begins

The assembly of a massive shield machine for tunnel construction at the Kanagawa Station site of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen has been completed, with the site opened to the media as excavation prepares to move forward toward Nagoya.

Bear Sightings Spread Across Japan, Experts Call It Abnormal

Although February is typically the height of the hibernation season, bears have already been sighted across Japan, raising concerns of another wave of deadly encounters.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Business NEWS

Yen’s Purchasing Power Falls to One-Third Over 30 Years

As price hikes spread from fast food to daily necessities and households grapple with rising living costs, the steady depreciation of the yen has emerged as a central driver of inflation, with multiple indicators showing that the currency’s purchasing power has fallen to roughly one-third of its mid-1990s peak, underscoring how three decades of economic stagnation, prolonged monetary easing and renewed fiscal expansion have left Japan far more vulnerable to imported inflation than other major economies.

Mysterious AI Startup Akari Soars Past 100 Billion Yen

An AI startup that emerged almost overnight, Akari had long been known only to insiders due to its limited media exposure, but after receiving investment from Mitsubishi Electric at the end of January and seeing its corporate valuation surge past 100 billion yen, the Tokyo-born venture has rapidly positioned itself as a leading unicorn candidate in Japan’s AI sector.

Mizuho To Shift 5,000 Jobs As AI Slashes Back-Office Work

Mizuho Financial Group has decided on a policy to improve operational efficiency through the use of artificial intelligence, aiming to reduce administrative work equivalent to as many as 5,000 employees over the next decade.

Honda Rolls Out Premium SUV Model

Honda announced on February 26th that it will introduce a new model of its SUV, the CR-V, with prices starting at 5,122,700 yen.

Japan Antitrust Watchdog Raids Microsoft

The Japan Fair Trade Commission has conducted an on-site inspection of Microsoft’s Japanese subsidiary on suspicion of violating the Antimonopoly Act by potentially restricting the use of rival services.

Japan's Farmers and Factories Welcome Long-Awaited Rain

A long-awaited spell of steady rain fell across Japan following a record stretch of low precipitation, offering much-needed relief to farmers and manufacturers that had struggled with water shortages.

Food Delivery Service Wolt to Exit Japan

Food delivery service Wolt announced that it will withdraw from Japan on March 4th as competition in the domestic delivery market intensifies.

Big Mac Climbs To 500 Yen

McDonald’s, which opened in Japan in 1971 and has long counted the Big Mac among its signature products, saw the burger’s price rise from 280 yen in 2008 to 480 yen before increasing further to 500 yen on February 25th, nearly doubling over the past two decades.

< 2 3 4 5 >