Japanese IP Firm IPStart Visits Pine IP Firm

On July 9, 2026, Tomoyuki Serizawa, Managing Partner / Patent Attorney at IPStart Intellectual Property Law Firm (IPStart), an IP-specialized firm based in Yokohama, Japan, visited Pine IP Firm’s Pangyo office.

The visit was arranged to strengthen the cooperative relationship between the two firms and to share recent trends in intellectual property practice in Korea and Japan. Pine IP Firm discussed with IPStart practical strategies for patent, trademark, and design protection when Korean companies enter the Japanese market, prosecution procedures in Japan, and concrete ways to support clients in both countries.

IPStart is an intellectual property firm established in Yokohama, Japan in 2023. It supports a broad range of IP matters, including patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks, covering domestic Japanese cases as well as international filings and incoming work for overseas clients. IPStart’s mission is to turn innovative ideas into practical rights and assets, and it actively supports IP strategy development for startups and small and medium-sized companies.

Tomoyuki Serizawa, who visited Pine IP Firm, is the Founder and Managing Partner of IPStart. He has handled a wide range of IP matters, including patent prosecution and office action responses before the Japan Patent Office (JPO), overseas filings for Japanese clients, patent portfolio strategy, and infringement and validity reviews. He is also qualified to represent clients in IP infringement litigation, giving him deep practical experience in securing rights and responding to disputes in Japan.

During the meeting, the firms discussed recent changes in Japanese and Korean IP practice, accelerated examination systems, AI and software-related inventions, growth in design and trademark filings, and overseas filing strategies for small and medium-sized companies. In particular, both firms agreed on the importance of prompt local advice for Korean clients seeking IP rights in Japan and accurate Korean practice guidance for Japanese clients seeking protection in Korea.

Through this exchange with IPStart, Pine IP Firm has strengthened the cooperative foundation needed to provide faster and more practical Japanese IP services to Korean clients entering the Japanese market. We will continue expanding our network with key overseas partners, including in Japan, to actively support global IP protection for Korean companies.

Pine IP Firm will continue building close cooperative relationships with leading overseas IP firms and providing practical legal services so that Korean startups and small and medium-sized companies pursuing global markets can secure and use intellectual property rights in each jurisdiction.